Young and Beautiful
by TStabler
Summary: St. Mary's Catholic High School. Seven friends deal with angst, love, death, secrets, lies, family, crushes, heartbreaks, and the survival of one of their own. When secrets are revealed, these friendships are tested. Some grow, and some may not last. E/O
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is for ****Stevielicious****! Very AU: Elliot, Olivia, Casey, Alex, Fin, Kathy and some other characters all attend the same NYC **_**high school**_**. I made them all younger than they are in the show, too, setting this in a more current decade. **

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and its Characters belong to Dick Wolf. Storyline and dialogue, and narrative belong to TStabler©**

Our saga begins :September 9th, 1999. The front steps of St. Mary's Catholic High School. New York, New York

"Wow," Casey Novak said, running her finger along the side of her best friend's cheek "You're getting really good at this, Benson."

Olivia Benson shrugged. "Thanks, I think," she said, raising an eyebrow.

The blonde next to her, Alexandra Cabot, squished the cigarette she'd been smoking under her standard-issue black Mary-Jane shoe. "You shouldn't have to cover bruises and scars with make-up, Olive. You shouldn't be that damn good at it. I swear, when I'm older and become the high-powered child-advocacy attorney I know I'm going to be, that bitch is going down."

"Alex," Olivia said, resisting the urge to chuckle, "You're really a natural blonde. If you're older, than _I'm_ older, and that bitch is no longer abusing a _child_. You won't be able to do anything." Olivia sighed and ran a finger through her shoulder-length auburn locks. "One more year, and she can't do this anymore."

"I just hope you survive," Alex said, smoothing out her plaid skirt. "Bell's gonna ring. We have French, first period. Who the hell needs to learn French? If anyone in this goddamn country is speaking French, we should just stick them in Mr. Hartford's English class and the rest of us can have forty-five minutes of extra sleep."

Olivia and Casey laughed as they walked through the cathedral-esque doors to the school. They turned down the hall and walked into their French class.

"Ah, bonjour, Olivia, Alex, et Casey. Comment allez-vous?" the withering teacher asked.

Alex and Casey looked befuddled and pursed their lips. Olivia laughed and replied, "Bonjour, Madame Rechaud. Je vais très bien, merci. Alex et Casey, elles ne comprennent pas Français." She and Madame Rechaud, and some of the other students, shared a laugh as the girls found vacant seats. Alex and Casey found two together, but the only other seat, the one left for Olivia, was next to the only boy she could really stand to talk to, and who she had one hell of a secret crush on.

"Hey, Benson," he said with a smile, holding out his hand.

"Hey, Stabler," she replied, giving him a high-five.

"Nice jab at Alex and Casey, and nice shiner. Yeah, I noticed, under the makeup. You're telling me what happened later," he said, narrowing his eyes at her.

Elliot Stabler, Olivia's best "guy-friend," and absolute dream boat, loved when she made everyone look stupid. He was so proud of her intelligence, and her athleticism, and her ability to stay strong and confident despite her shitty home life. He loved her. He'd never tell her though. He was a senior, he had a girlfriend, Olivia was his best friend, and younger. The more he looked at her, the more time he spent with her, though, the more none of that mattered. He looked at her, watched as she bit her bottom lip, and his heart thudded.

Olivia's cell phone buzzed and vibrated in her skirt pocket, and she sneakily checked the message, from Casey. _"What's up with the high-five? You're in the 'friend zone', Benson! Get out of it, now. Make your goddamn move!"_ Olivia chuckled and shot back a message of her own. _"Novak, what makes you think I want to be in anything other than the 'friend-zone'? Don't answer that. If he wants me, he'll make a move._" She hit send, then quickly typed another one. _"He needs to dump the bitch, tell me he loves me and then, ya know, unfreeze hell. Lol. Until then, this 'friend-zone' is nice and comfy, I ain't movin'. It would be amazing, though."_ She hit send, unaware that that message had accidentally been sent to someone else.

When the bell rang, Olivia got up and left the room to head for her next class but Elliot pulled her down the hall in the opposite direction. "El," she said. "I'm gonna be late!"

"For gym! If you change fast, you'll be fine." He yanked her into an empty classroom and looked at her. His fingers brushed over the concealed bruise under her eye and over her cheek. "What is she doing to you, Liv? What happened this time?"

Olivia tried to control her shuddering from his touch and sighed. "I spilled..."

He didn't let her finish. "She hit you because you spilled something? Jesus, is she _ever_ even sober at all anymore?"

"I don't wanna talk about this right now," she whispered. "We both know it's my fault, anyway, so..."

"Liv, don't you dare! She's insane, she has a problem, and it is not your fault. It's the fault of the man who raped her, and her own fault for not getting help. She's spent the last seventeen years not dealing with it and taking it out on you," he said, running his hand down her arm. "You gotta get out of that house. At least, stay out, go somewhere, until she passes out."

Olivia scoffed. "If I could, El, I would. Casey and Alex have to be home at eleven and I'm not wandering the streets of Manhattan, in this uniform, by myself, until midnight."

"I'll wander them with you," he said. His face was serious, and there was something strange in his eyes.

"Every night? Please, El. Kathy would have a coronary." Olivia folded her arms, ignoring the goosebumps his touch had given her.

Elliot pulled her closer to him. "Liv, you're more important to me than Kathy. If keeping you safe and away from your evil witch of mother pisses her off, than she can date someone who _doesn't_ have a best friend that he would kill or die for."

Olivia's eyes widened and her heart began to pound. She looked into his deep-blue eyes and knew that it wasn't just a crush. She was in love with him.

Elliot noticed this look, and misunderstood.

"Or," Elliot said. "She can come with us. You two don't really get along, this might be a chance to change that. We'll start tonight, okay? I'll ask her, if she says she doesn't want to come then it's just you and me." Elliot kissed Olivia on the cheek that wasn't bruised and left the room, leaving Olivia more confused than she'd ever been in her life, and more in love than she ever wanted to be with Elliot Stabler.

* * *

"Where were you?" Alex said as Olivia raced into the gym, unnoticed, in her gym uniform.

"Talking to Stabler. Son of bitch can see right through me, it's fucking annoying," she said, taking her spot on their side of the net.

"Why is this always girls against guys? How fair is that?" Casey said, trying to find a spot on the girls' side where she would never have to hit the ball.

Olivia laughed. "You can't take on a couple of guys in a volleyball game, but you want to be an attorney?"

"I can argue with any man, verbally, and kill them! I don't doubt that," Casey spat back as the boys filed in from the locker room. "But, we can't all be you, Benson. We can't all be just as strong and tough as the....damn he looks good in shorts."

"If you keep staring at Fin, we're gonna lose this game," Alex spat. "Keep your eyes on the ball, Novak!"

Casey turned her head. "Hey, it's not my fault we have gym with the seniors! And if anyone's gonna be drooling it's Little-Miss-Friend-Zone, over there. Check out Stabler, Benson."

Olivia's head turned toward Elliot, and she managed not to drool, but she saw him talking to Kathy. Kathy had her hands on her hips, was shaking her head, pointing at him, and clearly saying something that was making Elliot angry. The coach blew the whistle and Kathy ran over to the girls' side, gave Olivia a harsh, evil glare and stood, ready to play. Fin served and the ball flew over the net. Kathy spiked it right at Olivia. Luckily she was fast, and she moved.

"What the hell, Malone? You're supposed to get the ball over the net! Has the bleach finally dissolved your brain?" Olivia asked, picking up the ball.

The coach blew the whistle again, and said, "Kathy, twenty laps for that! Go."

"This isn't over, bitch. You stay the hell away from Elliot, or I swear to God, I will make your life hell. I will make _his_ life hell. He's mine, and _both_ my parents are around and sober enough to approve." Kathy shoved Olivia and took a step back, laughing.

Olivia leaped and lunged at her, as she turned to run her laps, but Alex, Casey and two other girls had to hold her back. They were _still_ struggling because Olivia was stronger. "Let me go! I'm not gonna hurt her, I'm just gonna kill her!"

Elliot ran over and stepped in front of her. "Liv, let it go. Okay? She's...she's not worth it."

Olivia looked up into his baby-blues as she panted, trying to catch her breath, as her friends let her go. "Apparently, she's worth something to _you_. Forget the walks, Elliot. Just...forget it, forget me, go hang out at whatever preppy party _Barbie_ wants you to go to, and leave me alone." She walked away, punching the ball back over the net, making it fly.

The coach blew the whistle. "Point for the girls," he said, as Olivia kicked the door to the locker room open and punched a few of the red, metal containers, refusing to cry. "Great first day back this is turning out to be."

* * *

"Okay, so what's the game plan for dating a senior?" Casey asked. "Fin needs to ask me out, how do I make that happen?"

Olivia looked up at her redheaded friend. "Try going over there and saying, 'Hi, I'm Casey,' so he knows you exist. That's a start."

"Hey, Benson, Stabler's his friend, right?" Alex asked, slamming her locker shut.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "I am not asking Elliot to play matchmaker! Besides, we, uh, aren't really talking, right now."

"Come on, please? Just tell him that I think Fin is hot and see what he says," Casey pleaded.

"Fine, but I'm not making promises. I'm not asking him for Fin's number. I'm not telling him to tell Fin anything. We are not in fifth grade!" Olivia slammed her own locker shut and as the girls walked down the corridor they passed Elliot and Kathy. Kathy was shoving her tongue into Elliot's mouth, and he didn't actually look like a willing participant. He was struggling to get her off of him.

"That's disgusting," Alex said, loudly. "Get a room. Or a couple of brains. No one wants to see that shit."

Elliot caught Olivia's eyes. The hurt and slight jealousy he found in them both scared him and relieved him. It meant she didn't really want to stay in the friend-zone after all.

Olivia's eyes remained locked on his. "Come on," she said to the girls, without looking at them. "Let's just go. They're not worth it, Alex."

* * *

"Okay, it's ten-thirty, Benson. We gotta go, honey. I'm sorry," Alex said, rising out of her chair in the coffee shop. "We're not leaving you out here alone, Olive. Come on."

Casey got up, too, and nodded. "Yeah, Benson. Maybe she didn't drink that much tonight. We'll walk you home."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "She drank. You both know she drank," she said, throwing down a twenty-dollar-bill. They walked out and started to head toward Olivia's apartment, unaware of the silver pick-up truck following them.

"Changing the subject! So, Benson, what is stopping you from taking the bull by the horns and having your way with Stabler?" Alex asked, puffing on a cigarette.

"What?" Olivia scoffed. "You need to stop smoking. It's covering your brain with tar," she said. They stopped in front of Olivia's building as they all hesitantly said goodbye. They hugged and Olivia watched Alex and Casey walk further down the street. She sighed and turned, taking a step up into the building, when a voice from behind her stopped her.

"Don't even think about it, Benson."

Olivia turned, slowly, and saw him standing behind her, smirking, with his arms folded. "What are you doing here?"

"I was with you, all night. The pizza place, the bookstore, the coffee shop," he listed. "You girls are fucking boring."

Olivia's eyes widened and she stepped forward. "What is up with you? You're spying on me, all of a sudden? Kathy is gonna kill you."

"I wasn't spying on you, Liv. I was trying to find a moment to talk to you, but Alex and Casey wouldn't leave you alone for five seconds. Kathy isn't gonna kill me, Liv. She doesn't know where I am." Elliot pulled Olivia off of the step and began leading her to his truck.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "She'll kill you when she finds out, dumbass. You don't know what she..."

"Said to you in gym class? Yeah I do, Liv. She said the same thing to me before she assaulted me in the hallway. That's what you walked in on," he explained, opening the passenger door for her. "Get in."

Olivia did, without asking where they were going. She trusted him implicitly. "And yet, here you are, with me, when she told you to stay the hell away from me. Why?"

"You still don't get it, do you?" he asked as he started the car and drove away. "Liv, if I have to choose between you and Kathy," he paused and looked into her eyes. "I will always choose you."

"I think you've taken one too many pot-shots on that football field," she said, raising her eyebrow. "That's like choosing a can of a Spam over filet mignon."

"Liv, that self-deprecating needs to stop." He chuckled as he pulled down his street.

"You've been with Kathy for as long as I've known you, El. She's, like, perfect. Except, she's a giant, mouth-breathing bitch. But, you love her and you can't throw it away because I'm afraid to be home while my mother's conscious. Just take me home, I'll hit her back this time. Take me home."

"I am." They pulled in front of Elliot's building, and he unbuckled his seatbelt. He leaned over and smirked at her. "I never said l loved Kathy, Liv. She's cute, okay, and for the first year she was nice. But, there was someone else. There has been someone else that I've been eyeing for three years, and because I thought she didn't want anything more than the friendly, brother-sister, _unbreakable_ relationship we have, I stayed with Kathy to make it easier on myself. I have a very strong fear of her rejection."

Olivia's heart cracked. Who the hell was this other girl who had an impossibly powerful connection with Elliot? How hard would it be to kill her and hide the body? "El, uh, if this girl, who I'm going to have to meet, and then choke to death, has any sense, or eyesight, she won't reject you," she said, quietly, as she got out of the truck.

Elliot's heart gave a happy hop as he, too, exited the vehicle and walked Olivia up to his door. "She has a lot of sense, and perfect vision. I'll introduce you, but you have to promise not to choke her," he said with a smirk.

Olivia chuckled. "Okay, I won't choke her. There are several other ways to kill a person with your bare hands."

"You're gonna make one hell of a cop, Benson." He unlocked the door and ushered her inside. "Okay, you ready to meet her?"

"What? She's here?" Olivia asked. Elliot nodded and grabbed her hand. Then he pulled her into his bedroom. "I don't really need to meet her if she's in your _bedroom_, El. I really don't think this is a good idea."

He laughed as he turned her around to face the mirror. "Liv, meet the girl I'm in love with," he whispered into her ear.

Olivia's heart stopped. "Say again?"

He spun her around and smiled at her. "How can you possibly think that, as close as we are, I don't love you, Liv? I do. I love you." He leaned in, closer, and she froze.

"What are you doing?" she asked in a rushed whisper, jerking slightly and backing up into his dresser.

"Making a move," he quipped. "Taking us out of the 'friend-zone' and into something that, I hope, will be amazing." He brushed his lips against hers. "Isn't that what you want, Liv?"

"Holy shit," she muttered. "How did you...I didn't mean to send that to you."

"I know, but I'm glad you did. You gave me the kick in the ass I needed to dump the bitch and tell you I love you," he said, caressing her arms lightly. "You don't need to say it, Liv. But, I'm gonna kiss you..."

"I love you." It came out softly, sweetly, like one of their Friday confessions in the chapel.

Elliot smiled, and pressed his lips to hers, lightly. He slowly moved along her jawline, down her neck, and back up to her lips. He licked her bottom lip and she knew what he wanted, so she gave it to him. Their kiss deepened. It was slow, passionate. Emotions ran through their systems and their hearts were pounding a hard rhythm. As he cupped her face, he felt a tear run down her cheek. He pulled away, shocked and stunned, both from the kiss and her tears.

"Why?" he asked as he thumbed away her tear. "God, you're too beautiful to cry."

Olivia sniffled and smiled. "I just, um, that kiss. El, I felt..."

"Everything. I know, me too." He brushed his lips over hers again.

"I've never actually felt loved before, El, and I guess," she paused, trying to find words that wouldn't make her sound weak or too pathetic. "I cried," she said, setlling on admitting it, rather than defending it.

"Liv," he said, "You're not gonna cry every time I kiss you are you? You'll flood my apartment and I don't have insurance for that," he joked, trying to cheer her up.

She laughed. "No, El. I'm done crying." She ran her hands through his hair and pressed her lips to his again. He smiled against her lips and wrapped his arms around her as he, once again, deepened the kiss.

Outside, in a red corvette, someone watching their silhouettes was now very angry and very sure that revenge was absolutely necessary. He just wasn't sure how to get it.

**A/N: This was a chapter for set-ups. The story will be in-depth and each person has their own arch. There's a lot of Liv and El. Reviews are awesome! =) **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Where were Elliot's parents? What's up with Casey and Fin? What happened after that kiss? Who was in that car? Oh, high school! **

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and its Characters belong to Dick Wolf. Storyline and dialogue, and narrative belong to TStabler©**

They were sitting in their usual spot on the steps when Alex noticed something different about Olivia. "Olive, you're not wearing any more concealer than you were yesterday. She didn't hit you last night!"

"Uh, no. I, um, I didn't go home last night," Olivia said.

"What?" Casey shouted. "Are you insane? She'll only kill you faster! Where were you?"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Chill, okay. I went home this morning, she was still passed out. She woke up as I left for school, told me to have a good day. She didn't even notice."

"Okay, I love how you ignored the actual question," Alex said, sucking her last drag of her cigarette.

"You're such a fucking lawyer," Olivia said with a chuckle.

Elliot saw the girls on the steps and walked up, with his friends Fin and Chester. He stopped about a foot away, as if waiting for permission to enter some kind of sacred circle.

"Hey, Stabler," Olivia said, like she normally would.

"What's up, Benson?" Elliot asked.

Olivia smirked at him and waved him over to her. The guys stepped closer to the girls. "Okay, so, uh, Alex, Casey, this is Fin and Chester. We have a few classes together, but I wasn't sure if you really knew each other," Elliot said, nudging Fin closer to Casey. All of a sudden he pressed his lips to Olivia's, unabashedly.

Alex and Casey looked on, stunned, as Olivia's arms wrapped around Elliot's neck.

Their kiss was passionate and deep, but there was something playful about it, too, as they laughed. They smiled against each other's lips and pulled apart, then shared three happy, short kisses, ending their smooching session with a peck on the lips.

"Okay," Alex said, pointing her cigarette at Olivia. "When the fuck did this happen, Olive?"

"Benson, withholding information is a serious crime!" Casey shouted.

"Uh-oh, we have bigger problems," Alex said as she saw the fancy red car pull up to the school.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Olivia asked. "Put that out, Al, and let's just go in early. Madame Rechaud will be impressed that you're actually trying."

Alex stood up and smoothed out her skirt, and shook her head. "Olive, we have three guys with us, who could all break him in half. With their pinkies!"

A young, preppy looking guy, in another private school's uniform, started bounding up the steps, heading straight for Olivia. "Can I talk to you?"

"No," Olivia said, matter-of-factly.

The guy smirked and folded his arms. "Why not?"

"You know why not, Brian," Olivia said, rolling her eyes.

Elliot scoffed. "Wait, this is Brian? Cassidy? Dude, she dumped you. A year ago. Get over it."

"You still talk about me?" Brian asked, smiling.

"Only when the people I'm with want a good laugh," Olivia spat. "What do you want?"

Brain stepped closer. "Why the hell were you with this tool last night?"

Olivia gritted her teeth. "This_ tool_ is my best friend, you arrogant asswipe!"

"Boyfriend," Elliot whispered in her ear.

"And boyfriend," she added, with a smirk.

"Damn it, Olivia," Brain huffed, and glanced at his watch. "I'm gonna be late. I'll be back, though. We need to talk!" He ran down the steps, got into his car, and sped off in the direction of his school.

Elliot looked at Olivia with a huge grin on his face. "That's the guy whose ribs you broke?"

Olivia nodded as she kissed the tip of Elliot's nose. "That's what he got for getting to grabby."

"You didn't break my ribs," he said, in a soft, seductive tone.

"I like it when you get grabby," she said to him in the same manner. She pulled him toward her by his plaid tie and kissed him again, smiling the whole time.

Alex threw her empty pack of cigarettes at Olivia, hitting her in the head. "Hey, can you two stop that? Some of us would like to keep our breakfast down."

Olivia glared at her. "Remind me to arrest you for assaulting an officer after my academy graduation," she said, grabbing Elliot's hand.

"You weren't an officer at the time of the assault, and the statute of limitations would be up, anyway, loser," Alex informed her. The six friends laughed as they walked into the wooden and stained glass doors, and into French class, a lot happier today than yesterday.

* * *

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Casey asked, turning to Fin, her new lab partner. Casey and Olivia were the only juniors in A. P Biology, and the teacher split them up, thinking they should each be with a senior. Elliot, of course, volunteered to be Olivia's partner, leaving Fin with Casey. "It's an eyeball," Casey said. "How do you dissect an eyeball?"

Fin chuckled. "Well, we gotta slice it in half, and then cut the lens out, then..."

"Ew, stop. Here," Casey said, handing him the scalpel. "You do it. I'll pretend I care."

"You're so cute," Fin said, smiling. He proceeded with the lab while Casey controlled her blushing.

Elliot watched, in awe, as Olivia cut their orb in half, perfectly. "It's hollow," he said, sounding surprised. "There's a lot of white goo, and then nothing. What is the point of this?"

Olivia laughed. "To discover how the human eye works, El."

"Why do we need to know how it works? If you can see, they work. If you can't see, they don't work. That's all you need to...that's disgusting!" he laughed as she pulled the lens off of the eye.

"Look everyone," the teacher said. "Mr. Stabler and Ms. Benson have retrieved a whole lens! It's not torn, like Ms. Malone and Mr. Lake's, or missing like Mr. Grant's. Very good work you two."

Kathy was glaring at them, harshly, but pulled Chester closer to her and smiled.

Olivia was uncomfortable with the whole class staring at her as she held a human lens between tweezers, with safety lab-goggles on, but she said, "Thanks."

"We kind of kick butt," Elliot added, kissing her cheek. He knew the whole class was watching, including Kathy, and he didn't care.

"We?" I did this! You sat there and pointed out how useless this was," Olivia retorted. "_I_ kick butt." She smirked and kissed his cheek.

They cleaned up their lab spaces and the bell rang, signaling it was time for lunch. Elliot grabbed Olivia's hand, pulled her along and met up with the rest of his friends in the cafeteria. He led her to his usual table, noticing the absence of Kathy.

Olivia looked at the sea of football players. "Hey, El, I don't really belong..."

"Yes, you do," Elliot said, looking over at the stairs. "Yo! Guys!" He waved Alex and Casey over to his table and looked back at Olivia as they started walking toward them. "See?"

"Shut up," she said, shoving him lightly.

"The usual?" he asked, heading toward the food line.

"Yep," she replied, giving him a wink.

Alex and Casey sat at the new table and Casey's eyes lit up. "I feel like I've just been sprinkled with happy dust."

"You look like it," Olivia spat. "What the hell is all over you?"

"Oh, uh, Fin got some of that eye-goo on me," Casey said, brushing it off. "It dries all powdery."

Alex smirked. "You know that's not the only white goo that dries powdery, and I doubt that you'd complain if Fin got some of that on you, too."

"For the love of Christ, Cabot! You're in a Catholic school!" Olivia shouted, finally sitting down as Elliot paid for their food.

Alex yelled back. "School! Not church! Besides, if God's gonna see you doing it anyway, he might as well hear you talking about it, right?"

"Speaking of God seeing naughty things," Casey interjected. "What did you and Elliot do last night?"

"Kissed, a lot. Cuddled, a lot. There was a lot of _feeling,_ but not a lot of _touching_, if that makes any sense," she said. "Shut up, he's coming back."

Elliot sat down and placed Olivia's tray in front of her, slid onto the bench next to her and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Fin and Chester are still on line. I told them to bring you guys pizza, if that's okay," he said to Casey and Alex.

Casey tilted her head. "Aw, thanks, Stabler. So, does Fin have a..."

"No, he doesn't, Casey. But, he does kind of like you, so don't be offended if he starts flirting with you," Elliot warned, biting into his sandwich. "He's really bad at it," he added with a laugh.

Casey's heart stopped, and she knew she had a dumbfounded expression on her face. "Okay," she managed to say.

"So, Stabler, how did you manage to get Olive in your bedroom, and keep her there all night, without your parents freaking out?" Alex asked, scooting over for Chester.

Fin sat next to Casey and threw her pizza at her, then smiled and nodded. Casey giggled.

Olivia looked at Elliot, shrugged and said, "It's up to you, El."

Elliot nodded. "I, uh, don't live with my parents. I was legally emancipated when I was fifteen."

Alex's eyes widened. "Hey, how do you do that? Maybe Olivia could..."

"Shut up, Alex," Olivia said, sternly.

Casey leaned over. "Fin and Chester don't know. Ixnay on the Othermay!"

"Oh, right. Sorry, Olive." Alex shrugged as she bit into her pizza. The pals finished their lunch, talking about Elliot's life sans parents, and when the bell rang, they drifted off into four different directions.

* * *

"Elliot, stop, we're supposed to be doing homework," Olivia said, chuckling, trying to shove his hands away from her hips.

He didn't give up his assault on her neck. He was kissing and sucking on her pulse and running his hands over her body. "I _am_ studying. Human anatomy. I'm doing extensive research with hands on experimentation," he joked between kisses.

Olivia raked her hand through his hair. "El, God, if you don't stop..."

"What?" he said, smirking. "What happens if I don't stop?"

"We get in massive trouble for not having any of this shit done tomorrow," she said, "And...I might not want to stop, which will get me into more trouble." She pushed him up and looked him in the eyes. "I don't really know how to ask you this, and I don't really want to know, but..."

Elliot shook his head. "I didn't sleep with her."

"How did you know what I was gonna ask you?" Olivia asked, raising her eyebrow, and smirking.

"What was the first question out of my mouth after every date you've had in the last three years?" he asked in return.

"I thought you were being protective, not jealous," Olivia said, smirking.

"Both, Liv. I was both." Elliot leaned in to kiss her, but she pulled back.

Olivia raised an eyebrow at him. "El, you were with her, on and off, for three years. You're not just saying…"

He sighed and interrupted her. "Liv, she wanted to, yeah. She was fucking pushy about it, and she was pissed off that I kept refusing. She just...wasn't the girl I pictured myself losing my virginity to, and I couldn't compromise the scenario I'd been dreaming about for years by sleeping with her."

"What scenario?" Olivia questioned, sitting up straighter.

Elliot laughed and shook his head. "Liv, I'm being honest here, okay? If you fucking laugh at me, I will kick you into the next room."

"I'm not gonna laugh at you! I just wanna know what virginity-losing dream you have! You don't really hear about guys saving themselves for someone, I think it's kind of...romantic," Olivia said, smiling at him.

"Glad you think so, Liv, because it's you. The girl in my fantasy is you. I couldn't sleep with Kathy because every time she tried, I would see you in my head and know that my first time needed to be with you," Elliot admitted, softly and sweetly, caressing her arms.

Olivia didn't know what to say. She responded by kissing him, intensely. When she pulled away, she looked at him. "Honestly, El, that's why I…I mean, I've always wanted you to be my first, too." She kissed him again, smiling, and joked, "But, it ain't happening tonight, Stabler."

"Liv, I know that!" Elliot said, laughing. "Okay, okay, back to homework."

"Actually, it's just back to _home_, for me. It's Thursday," Olivia said, grabbing her stuff.

Elliot nodded. "I'll drive you, baby. God, who picks Thursdays as their early night?"

"My mother," Olivia said with a shrug.

Elliot drove her home; they spent a few minutes kissing in his truck, and then he walked her to her door. He gave her another quick kiss. "If she lays a single hand on you, you call me, or you _run _until you get to my place, got it?"

Olivia nodded, kissed him again, and opened the door, stepping into the hell that was her apartment.

* * *

"Are you sure this is it?" Alex asked.

"Fin drove, Alex! I think he knows where his best friend lives, just knock on the damn door!" Casey yelled.

Alex pounded on the door, smoking her third cigarette in ten minutes. "Yo! Stabler! Open the fucking door!"

Elliot opened the door, slowly, revealing himself topless in pajama bottoms. The girls drooled a little, thinking Olivia was one lucky girl. He looked at them and squinted. "Alex? Casey? What are you...ow! What the hell was that for?" Alex had smacked him, hard, across the face.

"For letting her go back there!" Alex yelled. "Her mother ripped into her for breathing through her nose, or something!"

"Shit," Elliot said, reaching behind the door and pulling a tee shirt on. "Where is she?"

Casey sighed. "Mercy General. Come on," she said, running toward Fin's car.

Elliot furrowed his brow. "How did you know..."

"Here," Alex said, handing him her cell phone. "Read the text messages."

Elliot flipped open the phone and hit the green button. He saw the last four texts were from Olivia, and he could tell that she wasn't concentrating when she sent them, since she usually texted in full, grammatically correct sentences. They read, "Mother beat shit out of me. Beat shit out of her back. Lol." "Taking taxi to MGen." "Can't feel left arm." "Get Elliot."

As they sped off to the hospital, the only thoughts running through their minds were of Olivia. Just how badly was she beaten, and how could they convince her to talk to the cops this time?

**A/N: When will Brian come back? Does Olivia finally talk to someone about her mother? Where the hell did Kathy go? Stay tuned! Readers rock! Reviews are cool! **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: What kind of condition is Olivia in, and what was Serena's excuse this time? How bad can someone be at flirting? Just how many cigarettes does Alex really smoke?**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© owns the narrative, dialogue and plot of this story**

Elliot, Alex, Casey and Fin bolted through the sliding glass doors of Mercy General Hospital. Elliot grabbed the first doctor he saw. "Excuse me, I'm looking for…"

The doctor ignored him. "I don't have time right now, kid. Check in at the desk."

Elliot took the doctor by the collar, twisted and lifted him up a solid two inches, and through gritted teeth barked, "Olivia Benson, where is she?"

"I'm right here," a small voice said from a few feet away.

Elliot dropped the doctor and ran to her. "Holy Mary, Mother of God," he whispered. "I'm gonna kill your mother." He ran his fingers, feather-lightly, over the new bruises on her face. Her left arm, from her hand to just before her elbow, was in a cast. Her lip was split and she had a butterfly bandage over her right eye. Elliot's finger grazed it, barely.

"Three stitches. She, uh, hit me with the bottle," Olivia whispered to him, answering his unasked question.

Casey looked at Olivia, holding back tears, and grabbed the hand that wasn't in a cast. "Did you tell them who did this to you?"

"Liv, baby," Elliot said, running his fingers through her hair, "You have to tell them this time. She could have killed you."

"I handled it, okay?" Olivia said, trying to smile, caressing his cheek. "I'm used to this shit."

"Miss Benson," a young, handsome doctor said, walking up to her. "You forgot these. Take two, every six hours, for the pain. And if you can remember the make and model, any part of the license plate, even the color…please, call the police. There isn't much anyone can…"

"She told you she got hit by a car?" Alex yelled, interrupting.

Olivia's eyes widened. "Cabot, don't do this."

"A car? A fucking car, Olive? Yeah, a car named Serena," Alex spat.

The doctor looked at Olivia, concerned. "Miss Benson?"

Alex crossed her arms. "What was her reason this time? Did she catch you doing something horrible, like looking up at the sky?"

"Alex, please," Olivia said, tightening her grip on Casey's hand. "Don't do this. You'll only make it worse." She was shaking; she was scared.

"Did she walk in on you reading a big girl's book? Were you wearing a color she didn't like? Huh?" Alex screamed, tears starting to run down her cheeks.

Olivia yelled back this time. "No, Alex, Kathy called her and told her I was sleeping with Elliot!"

Elliot's eyes widened. He pulled away from Olivia a bit and every muscle in his body tensed up. "I'm going to fucking kill her! I swear to God, Liv. How did she get your number?" Elliot asked, turning red.

Olivia, realizing she'd said enough already, tried to get out of it. She grabbed the bottle of pills from the doctor and walked away. "It's not important, El."

"Like hell it's not, Liv," he said, grabbing her arm as she walked away.

Olivia made a painful noise and pulled her arm away from him, turning on her heels. She looked at him, fear, anger, and hurt in her eyes.

Elliot's own eyes widened. "Oh, my God. Baby, I…I didn't mean to hurt…come here," he said, gently easing her toward him. "I'm sorry, Liv. I'm sorry."

Olivia wrapped her arms around him, nodding into his chest, ignoring the pain it caused, and said, "I love you," almost too quietly for him to hear her.

But, he did. "I love you too, Liv."

The doctor stepped closer to Elliot and Olivia, then. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but if I've understood what has just happened here, I need to report this to…"

"No, you don't," Olivia interrupted, pulling away from Elliot.

Alex walked up, smirking, wrapping an arm around Olivia. "Yes, he does, Olive. You're gonna stay with Elliot. The nice, hot doctor is gonna call the cops and tell them what your mother did to you, and the rest of us are gonna go kill Kathy."

* * *

"Hey," Casey whispered, sliding into the pew next to Olivia. "How are you feeling? Oh, wow! You did an amazing job, Benson. You can't see a damn thing," she said, turning Olivia's chin to examine the cover-up over her bruises and cuts.

Olivia smirked. "Stabler drove me to an all-night pharmacy to get new concealer," she whispered back. "I feel okay, I guess. Couple of pain-killers and this one making sure I'm never out of his sight." She nudged Elliot, who smiled at her.

Fin slid in, next to Casey. "I hate Fridays," he muttered. "Father Michael could make the Pope hate Church." He yawned, stretching, and tried to sneakily put his arm around Casey.

Olivia and Elliot rolled their eyes and chuckled. "He really doesn't have any game, does he?" Olivia whispered to Elliot.

"Nope," he replied, kissing her on the top of the head.

Alex ran in, a cigarette hanging out of her mouth, and shoved Elliot closer to Olivia as she squeezed into their pew. "Hey," she spat.

"Cabot, you can't smoke in here!" Elliot yelled in a whisper.

"Shit," Alex mumbled, extinguishing her stick and tossing it into the pew behind them. "Thanks. Forgot I had that. So, we didn't find Kathy last night, but the thing is, she..."

Olivia leaned over Elliot to look at Alex. "Okay, Al, I don't care. My mother's sitting in a jail cell right now, convincing anyone who'll listen that I made the whole thing up. I'm gonna die when she gets out," she spat, her voice low. "Kathy Malone is the least of my problems."

"Olive," Alex said. "I talked to the fucking cops. I told them everything I know. They're here. They need to talk to you, and probably Elliot and Casey. You're mother's not _getting_ out. Can we get back to…"

"You did what?" Olivia yelled.

Suddenly everything got quiet and she could feel hundreds of eyes on her. She just yelled, loudly, in a Church.

"Miss Benson, is there something wrong back there?" Father Michael asked.

Olivia's head turned to face the priest. "No, Father." She remained perfectly still and quiet until the sermon had resumed and half the congregation was succumbing to the dull drone of the man. She spun to face Alex again. "How could you do that?"

Alex brushed her hair out of her face and pushed Elliot back so she could see Olivia more clearly. "Olive, you're my best friend. I'm not just gonna stand by and let her…"

"Thank you," Olivia said, interrupting her with a sigh. "But, I'm only seventeen. They're gonna rip me away from everything, and everyone, that I care about and stick me with some schmuck who only wants a foster kid for the fucking check. I could have waited another year, why couldn't you? What the hell am I gonna do now?"

Fin leaned over to Casey and whispered, "Does she always miss the obvious?"

"Yep," Casey said, then added, "She's right, though. The state won't let her stay with him, she's only seventeen."

"Stabler's dad could pull strings. I'll convince him to make a phone call," Fin said. "You smell very…clean."

Casey peered up at him with an arched eyebrow. "Thanks. I do enjoy a nice shower every day or so," she said, with a mild sarcastic tone.

Fin laughed and then sighed. "I, uh, get nervous around you," he admitted. "Sorry."

Casey smiled and rested her hand on his knee. "Don't be sorry. I'm just as nervous as you are, Fin." She squeezed his leg gently. "About everything."

* * *

Kathy ran out the doors, following Elliot on the way to his truck. She noticed Olivia wasn't with him, but she really didn't care. She ran in front of him, stopping him in his tracks, and was silent for a moment. "Hi," she said, meekly.

"Go to hell," Elliot replied, as if he was just saying a friendly, "hello".

Kathy hung her head. "I heard about Benson. Cabot told me, when those cops showed up. They know I called her mother, huh? She said it was all my fault, but I really had no idea her mother was gonna go psycho. Honestly, I thought she'd just get a good talking to, or get grounded! Elliot, I was mad! I was jealous! You dumped me after three years and moved on so fast, to her. To her! The one person I was always jealous of, and it hurt!"

Elliot bit his bottom lip, clenched his fists and tried to control his anger. "You almost got her killed. You lied to her mother, and you ruined her life. You have no idea what you've done. Because of you, I might lose the only person in my life I ever really gave a damn about!"

Kathy's heart broke. "What?"

She was hoping for a retraction; that he would say, "Besides you." It didn't happen.

Elliot pushed her out of the way and threw his bag into the bed of his pickup. "Thanks to you, she's in Headmaster Donovan's office, with three cops, reliving every painful memory from all seventeen years of her life. They're gonna throw her in some group home for abuse victim's unless I go talk to the one person I swore I would never, ever, go to for help." He got into the driver's seat and slammed the door and glared at Kathy. "You pissed off the wrong group of people, myself included, Kathy. You know me. You know what I'm like when I'm angry. You are now the focus of an incredible amount of rage."

Kathy backed away from the window in fear as she watched Elliot peel out of the school parking lot.

* * *

"How much longer is this gonna take?" Olivia asked as an officer handed her a cup of tea. "I need to study, and if I'm going to that fu...dging group home, I need to pack."

"Fudging? Nice save." The officer smiled at her. "That's what we're waiting for, honey. We got a phone call from another precinct. Someone's trying to work out more comfortable living arrangements for you. After everything you've been through, we think you should be with someone you trust."

"Hey!" she shouted. "I'm here on a scholarship, so…"

Headmaster Donovan looked at her. "Olivia, sweetheart, you are not going anywhere. You're part of the St. Mary's family, dear. I only wish you felt safe enough to come to one of us and tell us about all of this sooner. This," he said, gently lifting her cast, "Could have all been avoided."

"No offense, Sir, but I didn't even feel safe telling the three people who actually knew," she said softly, averting her eyes from Alex and Casey, who suddenly looked hurt. The phone rang and Headmaster Donovan moved from his spot in front of Olivia to answer it. Olivia, then, turned to her friends and rested her head on Alex's shoulder. "I trusted you guys, but I was still so scared that…"

"We know, Olive," Alex said, leaning her head on Olivia's. There was a knock on the door as Casey wrapped her arms around her two friends and squeezed. "You know we'd never let anything happen to you, Benson," Casey said. The three girls were oblivious to the two young men walking into the office.

"Okay, great, thanks," an officer said, hanging up the phone. "Well, Miss Benson. Thanks to some fast work, Sergeant Joe Stabler found you a lawyer, filed your request to stay with his son and, until the trial at least, you can do that."

Olivia snapped her head up. "Woah, what did you just say? Sergeant Stabler? Who the hell talked to him?"

"I did," Elliot said, reaching for her hand and clutching it tightly. Fin was standing next to him.

Olivia turned to face him and narrowed her eyes. "You actually spoke to your father? You went to that asshole for help, why?"

Elliot pulled her toward him and brushed the hair out of her eyes, looking at her with a soft, loving expression. "I had to. You needed me to. I'd do anything for you, Liv."

The Headmaster looked at them with narrowed eyes and pursed his lips. "Am I going to have a problem sending her along with you, Mr. Stabler? I do trust, Elliot, that your Catholic upbringing has taught you well enough, but you will be looking out for her best interests, not yours, correct?"

Elliot and Olivia chuckled lightly, slightly embarrassed at the mere suggestion of sex by their priestly principal. "Of course, Sir," he said with a nod. He looked back at the girls and asked, "You ready guys?"

Alex and Casey nodded and rose off of the couch. They bid Headmaster Donovan farewell, walked out into the empty school hallway, and breathed a collective sigh of relief. Elliot pulled Olivia into a heart-wrenching kiss, entangling his fingers in her hair. Alex and Casey looked at each other and smirked, then Alex looked down at her watch, shaking her head.

"He must really love her," Fin said, watching the long, loving display of affection.

Casey turned her head. "I'm sure he does, but why are you saying it?"

Fin sighed. "Stabler's dad made him agree to a few, uh, terms and conditions before making the call to that lawyer. He meant it when he said he'd do anything for her," he explained.

Casey's eyes widened and she was about to ask what Fin meant, but Olivia and Elliot finally pulled apart. "Shit, you guys," Alex said with a laugh. "A minute and twenty-three seconds, without coming up for air."

"I want pizza, and I want to go home," Olivia said, smacking Alex in the arm. "And, which one of you geniuses told half the class that I broke my mother's leg? And how do they know about Brian's ribs?"

Alex smirked and shrugged, "We plead the fifth, but we made sure they knew it was all in self-defense, why?"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "I can not tell you how many people have taken to calling me 'Bad-Ass Benson'," she said with a small smirk.

The four of them laughed as they walked out through the school doors, in search of pizza and the first night of peaceful sleep they would get in years, knowing Olivia was going to be safe and sound, and close to home. Only two of them knew the true price that was paid for it.

**A/N: What did Elliot have to agree to do? What will Olivia's life with Elliot be like? How will Kathy handle being the target of a horrid revenge plot? Will Fin ever find the guts to ask Casey out? God, I love high school! Review!?!?!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: The first night at Elliot's, a new day at school, and Elliot's secret's out.**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© owns the narrative, dialogue and plot of this story**

"Well, it's not the Hilton," Elliot said, holding his apartment door open for Olivia.

She walked through it and chuckled. "El, it's safe, it's someplace where she can't get to me, and it's with you. It's paradise," she said, looking into his eyes. She looked away when an uncomfortable heat began to rise in her body, and she plopped her duffle bag down on the couch.

Elliot walked over to her and brushed his hands over her shoulders. "Can I get you anything? You want a drink? I can run the shower for you, if you..."

"Yeah," she interrupted. "A shower would be nice, actually," she said, pulling her nightclothes out of her bag.

Elliot nodded and smirked. "So hot it almost hurts, right?"

"Oh, yeah," Olivia said. "If you could turn the dial to 'volcanic,' it'd be perfect."

"Funny," Elliot said. He pulled her toward him, brushed her hair back and kissed her. It was short, sweet, and full of emotion. Olivia could see tears in his eyes. "Liv, you're my best friend, you know that, right? You're the most important thing in the world to me."

Olivia stared up at him and blinked. "El, what...yeah, ditto. On both counts. Why are you..."

"I just need you to know, Liv. I wouldn't have let them take you anywhere, even if Joe couldn't have helped, I would have found a way." Elliot kissed her again. "It's over, Liv. It's all over, baby. You're safe with me, now, and she's never gonna hurt you again. No one is."

Speechless, Olivia wrapped her arms around him tightly and pressed her lips to his. "You're so amazing, El. I love you," she said. "I don't know why that's so easy to say to you, or so easy to hear from you, but you're the only person that I've ever said it to or heard it from, and it's not as scary as I thought it would be."

Elliot raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Because, Liv, you know I mean it. It's only scary when you're not sure if the feelings match the words," he told her with another quick kiss. "Come on, let's get you in the boiling kettle you like to call a shower."

He led her toward the bathroom, turned on the water, very hot, got her some clean towels and kissed her on the forehead. He helped her wrap her cast in plastic so it wouldn't get wet. "You can use my toothbrush. Just until we either go back and get yours or get you a new one. I'll be right in here if you need anything," he said with a wink.

He walked into his bedroom, shaking his head as he closed the bathroom door behind him. She was naked, or about to get naked, and wet, and running her soapy hands, _his_ soap, all over her body. He tried not to think about it but he heard the shower curtain slide and knew that it was all happening, at that moment. He wanted, so desperately, to watch her or join her, or _something_. But, this was Olivia. Yeah, they were together now, but they'd only been together, technically, for four days. Before that it was a three-year crush wound into a powerful friendship, and he knew she'd kick his ass for even thinking about her naked, wet, soapy, smooth, athletic, tight, body. "Shit," he muttered to himself with a groan. "She's gonna drive me crazy."

When Olivia came out of the bathroom, clean and dry and in her pajamas, she found Elliot half asleep on his bed. She smiled, grabbed the blanket that was folded at the bottom and began to walk out of the room when she heard a groggy, "Where are you going?"

"The, uh, couch," she said.

"My ass," Elliot said, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. He slapped a hand on the bed and got up, grabbing his sweatpants off of the back of the chair by his desk. "You're staying in the bed," he said through a yawn. "The couch likes me more than it..."

"El, I am not kicking you out of your bed! If you want me to sleep in your bed than your just gonna have to sleep in it with me," she said, only realizing it after the words had left her mouth. Her eyes widened as she saw the slow, sly grin spread across Elliot's face.

Elliot chuckled as he stepped into the bathroom to take his own shower. "I think that can be arranged, baby." He'd never showered so fast in his life. Every time he picked up the soap, he'd remember that it was the same soap she used and he'd get incredibly turned on. He needed to get back out into that bed and hold her and kiss her and love her. He turned off the water and didn't even bother with the towel. He threw on his sweats and shook the excess water out of his hair, like a dog after a rainstorm. He plodded into his room and hurled himself into the bed, laughing when he heard the squeal come out of Olivia's mouth.

"That was friggin' fast, Stabler. You sure you washed behind your ears and everything?" she quipped.

He worked the sheets up and around them and pulled her close, enveloping her in his arms. He laughed and said, "I promise, I'm thoroughly clean. I just couldn't want to get back out here. With you." He dropped several soft kisses to her neck and right shoulder, and he heard a soft moan. He trailed the kissed up to her lips, and worked her into a slow, deep, kiss, while his hands gently rubbed soft circles on her back. Their soft moans were getting louder and their kiss grew more intense and Elliot knew he needed to stop before he _couldn't _stop.

He pulled away, breathing hard, and looked at Olivia, who was also struggling to breathe. They laughed, finding humor in the tense situation, and Elliot pulled Olivia closer to him. He dropped a sweet kiss to the top of her head as she wrapped herself around him. "Goodnight, Liv."

"Goodnight, El." As she listened to his rapidly beating heart, she dropped a kiss to his chest and said a quiet, "Thank you. For everything." She drifted away to sleep, not realizing what "everything" truly meant.

* * *

"Aren't you the least bit concerned that one of the nuns is gonna see you with that and dropkick you from here to hell?" Casey asked from her spot on the grassy knoll in the quad.

Alex, with a cigarette in her mouth, tugged on Casey's Mary-Janed foot and leaned back on the grass. "Nope. They haven't caught me in two years."

"I think you should quit," Olivia said, her legs crossed at the ankles as she rested on her elbows.

"I think you should eat me," Alex quipped with a laugh as she puffed. "What is the point of this stupid game?"

"Cabot, it's ultimate Frisbee. The point is to catch and throw the Frisbee," Casey explained, as if Alex were three years old.

Olivia scoffed. "And see how many bumps and bruises you can get while you do it. This is the only game of Frisbee I've ever seen where you can tackle....ow! That looked like it hurt. Do you think he'll be okay?"

"Chester? Yeah, he's a tough guy," Alex said, smirking. "I think he hurt the grass more than Fin hurt him."

Casey looked over at Olivia and smiled. "Hey! Benson, what was your first night with Stabler like?" she asked, wagging her eyebrows.

"Oh, my God, Novak!" Olivia shouted, rolling her eyes. "We didn't sleep together, we just slept together."

Alex looked at her, expressionless. "Did you just hear what came out of your mouth?"

"Hardy har, Cabot. You know what I meant. We cuddled and actually slept. You'll both be happy to know that Elliot doesn't snore and..."

Alex interrupted and flicked her extinguished cigarette away. "Okay, bore me to death later, when are you gonna rip his clothes off and ride him like a..."

"Alex!" Olivia yelled, shocked, slapping her in the arm. "Jesus Christ!"

Casey chortled. "It's an honest question. You've been waiting for him for three years, Benson! It's not like you'd be rushing into anything. You know him, you trust him, you love him. You do love him don't you? Because, if he did what his father wanted him to for you and you don't even..."

"What? What his father wanted him to do? What did he do for me?" Olivia asked, her smile gone.

"Uh-oh, uh, never mind. Oh, look. Stabler's taking his shirt off!" Casey shouted.

Olivia glared. "Nice try! He's wearing his uniform, Novak, now spill!"

Casey rolled her eyes. "Okay, it's not that bad! Really, it's not. Fin told me, so I thought Stabler told you!"

"Well, he didn't So, you're going to! Out with it! Don't make me go all 'Bad-Ass Benson' on you, too. We both know I could kick your ass with one arm in a cast," Olivia threatened.

Alex laughed. "Who needs cable when you go to Catholic school in New York City?"

"Shut up," Olivia said, smacking Alex in the leg. "Casey, what did Elliot do for his shithead father?"

Casey sat up and took Olivia's hand. "Look, Benson, he probably didn't tell you because he thinks you have other things going on, with your mom and the cops, and he didn't want to upset you anymore, so promise me you won't get mad at him before I tell you."

"I couldn't get mad at him," Olivia almost whispered.

"Okay. His father made him..."she paused as she saw the look on her friend's face and decided to just spit it out. "Jesus, Benson, after he graduates he's going into the Marines."

Olivia's face fell. She suddenly couldn't breathe. "The...Mar...with the knives and the guns...and the...dying."

Casey rubbed Olivia's shoulder, lightly. "No, Benson, honey. No dying. Just the Corps. Boot Camp, training, a couple of years and then...um...oh, he had to promise he'd go to the Police Academy and..."

Olivia snapped. "What? I'm gonna find his father and give him a damn reason to be an asshole. I'm gonna rip his head off and shove it so far up his ass he'll be talking out of his armpits!"

"There's a nice visual image," Alex cracked. "Olive, look. What's the big deal? He told you the military was an option since he couldn't pay for school on his own, so you expected something like the Marines. And you want to be a cop, don't you? You can go the academy togeth..."

Olivia interrupted. "Elliot hates cops! He told me once he'd rather be a professional dog-shit-eater than a cop. He only supports me in my decision because of my reason. The kind of cop I wanna be, and why I wanna do it." She dropped her head into her hands. "I can't believe he ruined his life just to...

"Save yours," a voice from behind her said, softly.

Olivia turned her head and watched as Elliot bent down and sat beside her. He took both of her hands in his, rubbing a finger over her knuckles and her cast, and he sighed. "Baby, I did what I had to do to keep you safe, and keep you with me where I knew you'd stay that way. So, I don't get to do the whole four-year college thing, we knew that was never an option for me, anyway. The Marine Corps is better than the Army, or the Navy where I'd probably be shipped off to some pointless battle without any thought at all, and it's only four years, baby. You'll be here for another year without me anyway, then you'll be away at some fancy college. I can meet you at the academy. I'll be a year ahead of you, but...Liv, he didn't make me do anything I wasn't prepared to do."

"When were you gonna tell me?" Olivia asked, looking into his eyes. His clear, blue eyes that made her melt.

"When I was sure you were okay, I didn't want to upset you," he said.

Olivia looked at Casey, who shrugged and smirked. She turned back to Elliot and leaned over. She brushed her lips to his lightly. "No more making life altering decisions without me, got it?"

Elliot laughed and pressed his lips to hers. "Got it." He got to his feet and pulled Olivia gently to hers. "We're gonna be late for Calcu..."

Olivia interrupted him by cupping his face with her hands and giving him another kiss, this one deep and passionate. She pulled away, biting her lip.

"...lus," Elliot finished. "What was that for?"

"For loving me the way you do," she whispered to him. "Because, I love you just as much," she said, softly, as she linked her hand with his. She tugged him along, heading to class, as Alex and Casey, watched them go.

Fin walked over and slung his arm over Casey's shoulder and asked, "What are we watchin'?

"I'm not sure," Alex said, "But it's fucking beautiful." She began walking with Fin and Casey, and as they stepped into the immaculate school corridor, all three of them stopped. "Oh, now this is just too good. Blackmail and revenge always did go hand in hand," Alex said.

Casey covered her mouth with her hands and mumbled unintelligibly.

Fin chuckled. "I don't know what the hell you said, but I think I agree with you." He unzipped his bag, quietly and took out a camera. "Needed this for an art project," he explained. Turning the flash off, he snapped a few quick pictures. "I don't know what's gonna be more fun, getting even with her, or getting him fired."

The three of them chuckled as they padded, unnoticed, through the quiet hallway, armed with their newly discovered scandal and the evidence to make Kathy Malone pay for what she did to Olivia and Elliot.

**A/N: What did they see? What are they gonna do with the pictures? What will night two at Elliot's place bring for the two lovebirds? And what happens when Brian comes back? Reviews?**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Who loves high school drama? There's a lot of it. (PS - I need to clear this up, again, lol. It was reported Friday, February 5, 2010 that actor Christopher Meloni (Elliot Stabler) will be leaving the cast of the show after the 12th season. Saturday, February 6, 2010 Neal Baer said to Access Hollywood that Meloni will not be leaving SVU after season 12, it was a hoax started by the Australian Courier-Mail in which the article was deleted the next day. Hope this clears some things up for you all.) And yes, Elliot is taking Spanish and French, it happens.**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© owns the narrative, dialogue and plot of this story**

"You saw them doing what?" Olivia spat in a whisper across the aisle at Alex.

"Benson," their balding English teach said, taking attendance.

"Here," Olivia replied loudly, never averting her eyes from Alex. "Are you serious?"

Alex nodded, then said, "And we're not talking friendly, thanks-for-helping-me-grade-those-papers-type kissing either. Like, you and Stabler only gross and disgusting and..."

The teacher yelled, "Cabot."

"Here," Alex called. "So _not_ cute and romantic."

Olivia blinked twice. "Stabler and I are not cute and romantic," she said with an eye-roll.

"Yeah, you are. But, we have photographic evidence," Alex said, handing Olivia copies of the pictures Fin took. Kathy Malone and Father Abrams! A bitch, and a priest-slash-teacher! This is epic! Benson, this is one sure fire way to get Malone in just as much trouble as she got you into, and we're guaranteed straight A's in math until graduation."

"Uh, hello," Olivia said holding up her cast-covered arm, pointing a finger. "I don't want to be in that scumbag's class! Besides, I'm already getting an A in math. Both math classes, actually. Calculus really isn't that hard, you just have to have a good..."

"Ms. Benson," the teacher said, stepping up to her desk and handing her a paper. "This essay was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant."

Olivia almost blushed. "Thanks."

He handed a paper to Alex and said, "Ms. Cabot, I think you need to ask Ms. Benson to introduce you to Mr. Comma and Mr. Semicolon. And, 'awesomest' is not a real word."

As he walked down the aisle passing out the rest of the papers, Alex looked at her essay and shrugged. "Maybe Malone should have picked him. He needs to get laid."

"You seriously used the word, 'awesomest' in your essay? We had to write about the mystery of death in Hamlet? What, exactly, about death and Hamlet is awesome?" Olivia asked, raising an eyebrow.

Alex shrugged. "Who the hell knows? Casey wrote it."

* * *

Fin nudged Elliot during their Spanish test, for the fifth time. "What?" Elliot snapped in a whisper.

"I need a pen," Fin said.

Elliot took the extra one out from behind his ear and handed it to him, shaking his head. He looked back down at his test and smirked. He knew all of the answers. He knew them, because last night, Olivia got him to study. She did it the only way she could, since he got distracted when she was in the room. She wrote each phrase and its translation on a different part of her body in black eyeliner. He spent hours memorizing them, and the curves on which they were written, as they kissed on his bed. He didn't know how much longer he could wait. He wanted her. Badly.

Fin's eyes widened when Elliot got up and handed in his test. He was the first one done. Something was definitely up, and he was going to find out what it was.

Elliot sat back down, smiling, and took out his cell phone, sneakily sending a text to Olivia. It was simple, to the point, and loving. _Got an A. Owe ya one, Benson. Estoy enamorado de ti. _He was in love with her.

He waited. Approximately two minutes. His phone vibrated and he flicked it open. _Knew you would. You owe me nothing, Stabler._ _Te quiero con todo mi corazón! _He smiled, now knowing she loved him with all her heart in two languages. Then, as soon as he closed it, it buzzed in his hand. He opened it again and smirked. _Tienes unos ojos muy bonitos. "_You have beautiful eyes, too, baby," he whispered to the phone, shutting it and slipping it into his pocket.

* * *

"Can we please play something else, Coach Anderson?" Casey whined.

"Novak, just because you're afraid of the ball? No! Get over there!" the coach yelled.

Casey rolled her eyes. "Benson doesn't have to play!"

"Benson can't play volleyball with a broken arm!" Coach Anderson retorted. "Just pretend to hit the ball, Novak."

Olivia sat on the bleachers behind the girls' side of the net, snickering. "You honestly thought he'd make me play?"

"You can do everything else with one hand," Alex quipped. "Speaking of doing things with one hand, how far have you gotten with Stabler?"

Casey shrieked as the ball flew in her direction and shielded herself, swatting at it. To her surprise she accidentally hit it over the net. "Oh, that wasn't so bad," she said. "I wanna know, too, Benson. Has he found the pot of gold at the end of your magic rainbow yet?"

"No," Olivia said, thwacking the ball as it flew into the bleachers. It, too, sailed over the net, right to Elliot, who spiked it.

"You set him up," Alex said. "You're a traitor to your own gender."

"I'm not even playing! I just hit it when it flew at my head," she explained in a defensive yell. "I just happened to be looking at him when I hit it."

Casey chuckled. "So back to the question, Benson. When are you gonna find out what kind of heat Officer Stabler's packing?"

Olivia rolled her eyes and shook her head, smirking. "You two need your own sex-lives so you can stay out of mine."

"Nah," Alex said, hitting the ball. It hit Kathy in the head. "Sorry!" she yelled. She looked back at Olivia and Casey. "I got good aim, huh? Olive, I could marry Leonardo DiCaprio, have him surgically attached to my waist, and I would still bug the crap out of you about your sex-life."

"Leonardo DiCaprio?" Casey asked. "Really?"

Alex shrugged. "He's cute. Cuter than Elijah Wood. Who you only like because he has a gap in his teeth, Novak. You have odd turn-ons."

"Yeah," Olivia said. "You two seriously need boyfriends."

* * *

"So," Fin said, sitting at the table with his lunch, and handing Casey's to her. "What are we gonna do with the Malone-Abrams shit?"

Elliot bit into his pizza, keeping one arm around Olivia. "Nothing, yet. We wait. We let her think she's getting away with it, let her think we've all forgotten about what she did and then we hit her with it."

Olivia smirked. "I really wish you would have told me that sooner," she said, chuckling.

"Why?" Elliot asked, chewing.

"Well, see..." Olivia began, but she was interrupted.

They heard Kathy squeal from all the way across the cafeteria. They watched as she shut a textbook quickly and looked around nervously.

"Liv, what did you do?" Elliot asked, smirking and leaning closer to his girlfriend.

"Uh," she said, "I may have slipped one of the pictures into her Biology book with a threatening note on the back. Unsigned of course, and I used my left hand, which is in a cast, so the handwriting's hardly legible."

Elliot laughed as he kissed her. "Always thinking like a cop, huh?"

Olivia shrugged. "I just think like me. If that's how cops think, then maybe I was just born to be one." She looked at him and sighed, running her fingers through his hair. "You weren't though. You wanted to be an architect."

"Stop, Liv. _Cop_. I'm gonna be a cop. I'm gonna work with my father. He's still pulling strings and helping us out, so, it'll all be worth it, I swear," he said, eating his pizza. "It already is." He turned slightly, looked across the table, and hit Olivia lightly as he said, "Whoa, Liv?"

"Okay, we definitely missed something," Olivia said, turning from Elliot and looking at Fin and Casey.

Alex nodded. "While you two were gabbing about your careers, Fin grew a nice, big pair of balls." She glanced next to her for a moment, then turned to face Olivia and Elliot. "I still think you two are the best kissers I've ever seen, but you gotta admit, Fin and Casey come in a close second."

* * *

"You sure you don't mind me using your toothbrush?" Olivia asked, coming out of the bathroom.

Elliot laughed. "Liv, our tongues have been in each other's mouths! You can use my fucking toothbrush."

"Some people are a bit freaked out by...why are you looking at me like that?" Olivia asked. Elliot's eyes had narrowed and darkened, and he was grinning at her. She walked closer, cupped his face and stared back. "Stabler?"

"I always look at you like this," he said. "Ya know, when I think you're not looking." He wrapped her in his arms and pulled her onto the bed with him, earning a laugh and a smack in the arm. "Kiss me," he demanded.

Olivia shook her head and pressed her lips together, chuckling silently in his arms.

"No? You don't wanna kiss me?" he asked, smirking. "Can I kiss you, then?"

Olivia looked up, pretended to think about it, made a face, then shook her head.

"No?" Eliot asked, shocked, with a playful laugh. "Liv, that is so..."

Her lips were on his before he finished the thought. She pulled him close and as they kissed she raked her nails down his back. He moaned and she smirked, and he pulled her closer; he was almost on top of her completely. He deepened the kiss, seemingly trying to reach her very soul with his lips and tongue, as his hands roamed her body. He lost a bit of control when she bit lightly on his bottom lip, and he looped one hand through the light waves in her hair and snaked the other hand under her pajama top. She gasped lightly into his mouth as his thumb grazed a nipple, but she didn't stop him. She moaned, and pulled her nails harder up his back. She nipped at his lips again and he sucked lightly on her tongue as he tweaked and rolled the nipple in his hand, and her delicious little noises drove him crazy. He let go of her nipple and ran his hand down her body and tugged, gently, on her pants. She kissed him, so deeply, as she lifted her hips for him; she wanted this. He lowered them, only slightly, and trailed a finger along the edge of her panties' waistband. Then his hand caressed her legs, down into the pajama bottoms and back up. Another gasp from her, as one finger teased lightly over the cotton, over her most sensitive area. Then he realized what was happening.

"Shit," Elliot panted, pulling away from their kiss. "Liv, I'm sorry. Damn it, we should stop," he breathed. Or trying to breath, anyway.

Olivia pulled his face toward her and made sure he was looking into her eyes. She shook her head.

"No?" he asked, again, a slight smirk on his face.

Olivia kissed him again as her own hand, the one not encased in plaster, followed a path down into his sweatpants, palmed his ass, then, hesitantly but determinedly, found him, hard and ready. She grazed the tip, lightly, and he shuddered and gasped. When she lightly stroked the full length, she gasped when he did. She knew he'd be big, but this was beyond her expectation.

"God, Liv," he whispered. "Feels so good, but you don't have to do that."

Olivia kissed him, her broken arm around his neck, her fingertips dancing in his hair. She stroked him again. "I want to, El."

Elliot kissed her back, with more fervor, as his hand gently moved the cotton barrier that had been separating his flesh from hers aside and touched her, for the first time. They shared a moan of satisfaction, relief and shock. He teased and touched and tickled, still nervous about what he was about to do. Olivia's breath came in faster patches as her hand moved a little faster. Elliot's moans grew louder and he carefully, gently, pushed a finger into her. She broke their kiss and cried out a low, "Oh, my God, El," and he paused. She looked at him, her hand still moving, and he smiled. He kissed her again as his finger began to explore her depths.

"Oh, my God," Olivia moaned.

Elliot grunted in response. Her hand was doing amazing things. She kept running her hand lower, cupping his balls, then trailing all the way up and swiping over his tip. She was driving him insane. "Christ, baby. Oh, God, Liv," he whispered against her lips. He held her tightly as he worked another finger inside of her, gradually, and he felt her whole body go rigid. He stopped. "Am I hurting you?" he asked, scared and worried.

Olivia thrashed her head from side to side, pressing her lips together. "God, no. Don't stop," she heaved. She pulled him back down to her lips, kissing him feverishly and continuing to work him up. She grinned when he started to slowly thrust into her hand, and briefly wondered what it would feel like to have him where his hand was. She groaned at the thought and Elliot moaned at the sound of her groaning. He began to thrust his fingers, faster, and he twisted and crooked them, sending her into outer-space. It was only fair, since that where he was at the moment.

"Oh, Liv, baby. God, Liv," he cried. "I love you, so much," he whispered to her.

Olivia smiled. "I love you, too." She felt a very scary, very unfamiliar, burning, tensing sensation taking over her entire body. She gripped tightly onto Elliot's neck and her other hand, instinctively, tugged harder and faster. Elliot felt her clenching around his fingers and his eyes widened. He was going to watch her cum. He was going to see her brought over the edge of ecstasy, into oblivion, and it was all because of him. He was the first, and he took great pride and great relief in that fact.

"What..." she asked, but couldn't get any other words out.

"God, baby, hold on." He wanted to go with her. He knew what he had to do to make her slip and fall, and he was waiting until he was right there with her. "Oh, shit, Liv."

"El, I ...my God, I can't...shit," she whined, writhing and bucking beneath him. She moved her hand up over his tip once more and he grunted. He crashed his lips down onto hers and grazed his thumb over her clit, quickly, over and over again. She screamed into his mouth as he felt every wall she'd ever had around herself come crashing down. He pulled away from the kiss and watched her. He looked right into her eyes, she looked back into his. They both exploded; they watched each other's eyes and screamed each other's names and they let go, together, for the first time, ever. He held her and caressed her as she came back down and there was no way she was letting go of him, either. They kissed, slowly, tenderly, as their breathing struggled to return to normal and their hearts fought to find a steady beat.

Elliot collapsed at Olivia's side and pulled her close. "Oh, my God," he said, panting. "Are you...are you okay?"

Olivia nodded. "I'm fucking incredible," she told him.

"Yeah," he replied on a laugh. "You are."

"I've never...that was..." Olivia blathered as she rested her head on his still lightly heaving chest.

Elliot kissed the top of her head. "I know, baby. Me either. Well, I mean, with someone _else_," he quipped.

"Thank you," Olivia said with a roll of her eyes. "You really expect me to sleep, now that the only image in my head is you naked and jerking off?"

Elliot chuckled. "At least it'll be a good dream," he laughed, wrapping his arms around her tightly. "No nightmares tonight, baby." He tilted her head up and kissed her. "I love you, Benson."

"I love you, too, Stabler." Olivia kissed him once more, then reclaimed her pillow, his chest, and listened to his heartbeat. It was then that she decided, tomorrow, she would tell him all about the nightmares. She'd finally let him know. Three years of avoiding his questions was enough. She only hoped he'd know how to make them go away.

**A/N: Oh, boy! Fin and Casey kissing? Elliot and Olivia taking another step? Kathy freaking out? These things must have consequences, right? Reviews? Thoughts? Thanks for reading! **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Who loves high school drama? There's STILL a lot of it. (To everyone reading this story, whether you review/fave it or not, thank you. You mean the world to me)**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© owns the narrative, dialogue and plot of this story**

_"You have been nothing but a burden, since the day you were born, Olivia" _

_That's my mother's voice. She's drunk, but the darkness of the closet will keep me safe, as long as I stay quiet. _

_"Olivia, hiding is only going to make Mommy angrier." _

_Serena's yelling, her speech is slurred, how much did she drink tonight? _

_"Where are you, you little brat?" The footsteps are coming closer. Oh, God! She's gonna find me. Is she gonna kill me tonight? It's my fault. I look like him and she hates me for it. I'm sorry I'm not pretty like you, Mommy. I didn't ask for this. You could have done something. You didn't have to keep me. _

_"Mommy's coming, Olivia." _

_The door swings open and she's standing there. Don't move the clothes. Please? _

_"Found you, Olivia!" _

_She's got my baseball bat tonight. If I close my eyes and pretend it's all a dream, maybe it won't hurt tonight. Oh, my God! I was wrong!_

Olivia shot up like a cannonball, breathing heavy, eyes wide. She looked around and for a moment she forgot where she was. She felt the whack of the bat, she heard the cracking sound in made against her ribs. She thought she was in the closet.

"Liv?" Elliot gasped in a panic. He had woken up with a start, as soon as she did. "What happened?"

All Olivia could do was shake her head as the tears fell. Elliot pulled her into a hug and held her tight, soothing her as she tried to calm down. He glanced at the clock. Four-twenty. It was progress. She got an extra twenty minutes of sleep before the nightmare woke her this time.

* * *

They walked up the steps of the school, hand-in-hand, meeting Casey and Alex. Alex had a cigarette in her mouth, as usual. Casey looked distracted. She was bopping up and down and looking around, searching for someone.

"Oh, relax, Novak," Alex said. "He will be here."

"Who?" Olivia asked, yawning.

Alex smirked. "Fin," she said. "Casey thinks she loves him."

"Fuck you, Cabot," Casey spat, quickly. "I never said that. I like him, that's it."

Elliot snickered. "It's okay. He likes you, too, Novak," he said.

"Oh, my God," Casey yelled, her face pale and fearful.

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "Okay, calm down there, girl. He's just a boy."

Casey pulled Olivia behind her and moved them both behind Elliot. "No, I'm oh-my-God-ing her!"

Olivia clutched onto the back of Elliot's shirt. "What the hell is she..."

"She's out on bail," Elliot interrupted. "She can't touch you. She can't come within fifty feet of you," he told her.

Serena Benson, accompanied by a cop, climbed up the stairs, her right leg in a walking cast. "Olivia," she called.

"Miss Benson," the officer said. "Fifty feet. Stop right there."

Serena called to her again. "Olivia, I am sorry. I didn't realize what I was doing. Please, don't do this, call that lawyer and tell him you don't want to do this. I am your mother, damn it!" Her anger, who she really was, was coming out. "I control you! Don't make me..."

Elliot stepped forward. "Make you what? You can't touch her. And don't you dare blame her, she doesn't even know about it. It was me and my father, people who actually care about her."

"You little son of a bitch," Serena seethed and Elliot backed up.

"You're drunk," he spat. He looked at the cop. "She's drunk!"

The officer stepped forward and grabbed Serena, leaning forward, and he smelled the alcohol on her breath. "Let's go, Ms. Benson."

"Olivia, this is your fault! You and your rapist father!" Serena yelled as she was escorted down the stairs. "You look just like him, you wouldn't let me forget! I shouldn't have kept you! Who keeps their rapist's baby?" Serena shouted all the way into the black sedan, and the four friends watched it drive away.

Olivia cringed when she heard Alex and Casey gasp.

"Rapist?" Casey asked in a whisper.

Olivia let out a choking sob and nodded. Elliot turned around and looked at Olivia, wide-eyed. "They didn't know?"

"No, they didn't," Olivia said dropping her head. "The only person I ever told was you."

Elliot closed his eyes and pulled Olivia close to him. It wasn't even eight o'clock, and this was the second time today he held her while she cried.

* * *

Madame Rechaud was blathering about French monuments when Alex leaned over and whispered to Olivia. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Olivia shook her head. "Pay attention, this is gonna be on the test," she told her friend.

"Did you think I would hate you? Did you think I wouldn't understand, that I would think you were trash?" Alex shouted in a whisper.

"That's exactly what I thought, now could you please shut up?" Olivia whisper-yelled back.

Alex pleaded. Her voice low but insistent. "Come on, Benson! This is serious! I'm not..."

"Madame Alexandra, où est l'Arc de Triomphe?" the teacher asked, knowing she hadn't paid attention and wouldn't know.

Alex stared at her blankly. "Um, quoi?"

Madame Rechaud folded her arms. "L'Arc de Triomphe. Dans quelle ville est-il?"

"Um, quoi?" Alex repeated.

"Madame Olivia, une réponse s'il te plaît?" The teacher raised an eyebrow.

Olivia sighed. "L'Arc de Triomphe, c'est à Paris."

"Trés bien. Merci. Silence," Rechaud commanded pointing at both girls. She walked away and Olivia glared at Alex.

"Quoi?" Alex asked, shrugging.

Olivia rolled her eyes and chuckled. This was gonna be a long day.

* * *

Olivia and Elliot were playing "poke the pig" while writing up their lab report when Kathy sauntered over to their table. Olivia didn't look up from the pig or the report, but felt Elliot squeeze her leg under the table. Elliot, glared at Kathy through his safety goggles. "What?" he spat through gritted teeth.

"I just, uh, wanted to, um, apologize to Ben...Olivia," Kathy said, not at all like her usual bitchy self.

Olivia smirked, but kept her eyes on her the pig as she sliced it open. "Whatever," she mumbled.

"I'm really, really sorry, okay? Just, uh, please, don't blame me," Kathy pleaded. "The cops called my dad and he grounded me for a month, my mother took my car away and Chester hasn't spoken to me in two days. I need you to forgive me and fix this!" She lowered her voice. "I'm in enough trouble already."

Olivia looked up then. "I need you to grow a brain. You do that, then I'll forgive you."

Elliot snickered and shrugged. "Guess you'll be waiting a while then, Kathy."

"You loved me once, Elliot," Kathy said with narrowed eyes. "How could you say that?"

"Did the words, 'I love you,' ever come out of my mouth?" Elliot asked.

Kathy paled. "No, I...guess not."

"And how often, for how long, did I talk about Olivia?" he asked, furrowing his brow. "And whenever you said anything negative about her, how pissed off did I get?"

"It's always been her," Kathy whispered, her eyes closing. She sighed and looked around nervously and said, "I really am sorry." She walked back to her table and Chester moved away as she sat down.

"You really have her shaking in her Mary-Janes," Elliot said rubbing her leg, giving it another gentle squeeze.

Olivia used forceps to dig out the pig's heart, which she had separated from the rest of the body perfectly, and held it up to him. "Me? No, the guy who keeps sending her threatening, ominous notes on the back of scandalous pictures does," she said with a straight face.

Elliot shook his head, laughing, and looked at the heart. "That's disgusting."

"It's nothing compared to what you have to cut out of it. You will never eat bacon again," she quipped, handing him the scalpel and a diagram of the pig's stomach. "Knock yourself out."

* * *

"Liv," Elliot said, twirling her hair around his fingers as they leaned out on the grass in the quad. "Do you wanna talk about last night?"

Olivia smiled at him, but shook her head. "Nothing to talk about, El. It happened, it was amazing, but it doesn't mean we're going to..."

Elliot laughed. "No, baby, that part of last night was...wow, I don't know what it was, but I'm not expecting anything more. If it happens again it does, but I'm not going to consciously try anything else, I promise. We're not ready for anything like that," he said, looking up at the sky, still playing with her hair. "I was talking about your nightmare."

"Oh," she said, softly. She planned on telling him, but now that the moment was here, she couldn't. "It was nothing."

"Liv, you woke up crying, in a cold sweat, unable to breathe. It took me an hour to calm you down and convince you that everything was okay. That is not nothing. This has been going on for years and you keep telling me it's nothing, when it's obviously something," he explained, getting louder and faster as he got more upset.

Olivia sat up and shook her head. "They aren't nightmares. They're memories. Memories that are just so awful and humiliating, I don't know if I can talk about them without crying or feeling them all over again, and I don't want to do that at school, okay?"

Elliot nodded. "We'll talk about them later then, baby. Just tell me this. Are they about your mother?"

"Yeah," Olivia said as she nodded.

"Baby, she's never gonna hurt you again," Elliot assured her. "I'm making sure of that. I promise." He sat up and leaned over to kiss her.

They were interrupted when Fin, Chester, Casey and Alex walked over. Chester was brushing grass off of his pants, Casey was complaining about a scuff on her shoe and Alex had a cigarette hanging out of her mouth.

Fin was trying not to laugh as he said, "These idiots should never go anywhere near a Frisbee."

"Hey," Chester said. "I did pretty good."

"Yeah, Lake, the grass caught the Frisbee more than you did," Alex laughed.

"Hey, Benson, can we talk to you?" Casey asked, linking arms with Alex.

Olivia took a deep breath and rose to her feet. She walked over to them and the three girls slowly wandered toward a bench. "What?" Olivia asked as they sat down.

"What?" Casey repeated, shocked. "We're concerned, Benson! Are you okay?"

"My drunken mother blabs my darkest secret to you two, who should now hate me and run away, and you're asking me if I'm okay?" Olivia said, her eyes wide.

Alex pulled on Olivia's hair, lightly. "Olive, we don't care that you're a child of rape. You could be the offspring of Hitler and a paper bag, conceived on the back of a broken down motorcycle in Hell, and we'd still love you."

"We aren't gonna tell anyone, either. We know it's a hard thing to hear, and deal with, and some people might treat you like shit," Casey told her.

Alex blew three smoke-rings, ashed her cigarette, and said, "But, we already treat you like shit, so we're not gonna treat you any differently."

The girls laughed, and hugged, and Casey furrowed her brow. "What was she trying to tell you not to do, anyway?"

"Oh," Olivia said, gasping. "I don't know. I was so upset that I completely forgot to ask Elliot. He said his father was helping him, so it's something legally..." she paused as her face froze and her eyes started to gleam. "Oh, my God."

Alex sat up straighter. "He didn't! He isn't! Can he do that?"

"With a good lawyer and my statement, yeah," Olivia said, nodding.

"Cabot, Benson, I demand that you tell me what the hell you're thinking about, because I flunked out of mental-telepathy!" Casey squealed.

"He's...he's gonna..." Olivia couldn't finish the sentence. Her excitement and panic were both making it very hard to breath. "God, I love him."

Casey put her hands on her hips and hopped up and down. "What? Guys, come on!"

Alex laughed. "If you pull that whiny, temper-tantrum shit in court when you're older, you're gonna get disbarred."

"Bite me, Cabot! What did he do?" Casey asked, snapping.

"He's probably trying to get me legally emancipated," Olivia said, a small smile crossing her lips. "She won't have any legal claim to me at all. Oh, crap! I'm gonna have to get a job!"

Casey and Alex looked at her. "Quoi?" Alex asked.

"Enough with the 'quoi,' Cabot. Emancipated minors have to prove they're completely self-sufficient. Including financially."

Alex flicked her cigarette. "Stabler doesn't have a..."

"His rich, dead uncle left him a small fortune for school and stuff, Alex. I'm not asking him to support me, and if he offered I'd say no. He's already done enough," Olivia said, standing up and straightening out her uniform. "I'll ask him if I'm right in calculus. We're gonna be late," she warned.

Olivia turned and waved the guys over, signaling them it was time to go. Elliot ran to her, picking her up and spinning her around, and he kissed her. He nuzzled her nose as he dropped her gently to the ground, not caring that half their school was in the quad watching.

"What was that for?" Olivia asked, smiling at him.

Elliot shook his head. "I don't have a reason. I love you."

"I know you do," Olivia said. "I love you, too."

They walked into the corridor, unaware that a visitor was among those watching that kiss and he was not very happy.

**A/N: Is Kathy really sorry? What are Olivia's messages saying? Is Elliot really trying to get Serena's parental rights taken away? Why is his father being so helpful? Reviews?**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: High school. Friends, relationships, secrets and lies. This chap explores them all.**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© owns the narrative, dialogue and plot of this story.**

The six friends sat around the table, at Johnny's pizzeria, grumbling about their day. Olivia had slid a job application into her bag while Elliot wasn't looking, and as the conversation drifted to teachers and class work, her mind drifted to how much she was gonna hate coming home spelling like garlic and cheese.

"Liv," Elliot called. "Baby, you spaced out on me. You okay?" Olivia nodded. Elliot noticed she hadn't touched any of the pizza. "Liv, you gonna eat?"

"Um, no, actually, I'm not very hungry," she said.

Alex and Casey looked at each other, suspiciously and then glanced at Elliot.

"Come outside with me," he said, taking her hand. "I wanna be alone with you for a second."

Olivia smiled and followed him. Once outside, she kissed him, softly. "What's up?"

"What's wrong, baby? You can eat a whole pie by yourself," Elliot said, wrapping her in his arms. "Talk to me."

Olivia shrugged. "I guess I just think I shouldn't eat it if I can't pay for..."

"Woah, okay, that's just dumb. I got it, Liv," he said, scoffing.

Olivia shook her head. "No, El, with everything you've done for me, I am so grateful, but if your dad gets this lawyer to do what he says he's gonna do then..."

"Then I give you a, uh, we'll call it a loan, okay? And you're not working here to pay me back, Liv. Don't think I didn't see you ask the manager for an application. We'll find you something that requires the use of your amazing brain and until we do, Liv, I got it covered. Why are you refusing to let me take care of you?"

Olivia sighed. "Because it's not your responsibility. I'm living in your apartment, not paying for anything. You've bought my lunch every day for a week, you cook dinner, and I feel so..."

"Don't even say 'guilty'. Liv, baby," he paused, took a breath, and smiled. "I love taking care of you. I love spoiling you. You're my best friend, my girlfriend, my partner-in-crime, Liv! Even if you weren't in the situation you're in, I wouldn't let you pay for a damn thing," he said with a laugh. "And you are my responsibility. Just like I'm yours. Remember? Last year, when I made you go mountain climbing with me because Kathy wouldn't, I almost fell off the cliff, but you pulled me up. You remember that promise we made at the top of the mountain?"

"Always have each other's backs. No one saves your life but me," Olivia whispered with a soft smile as she played with his plaid tie.

Elliot nodded and kissed her on the forehead. "Yeah, and no one saves yours but me. I'm keeping my promise, Liv."

Olivia pressed her lips to his, and when she pulled away, she looked into his blue eyes. "I don't think I love you, El."

"I...wha..what?" he stammered, panicking. His heart stopped.

Olivia pulled him closer. "Love isn't a strong enough word. I'd be completely lost without you, you know that? And to think, I couldn't stand you for the first two months I knew you."

"Well, you were a freshman, I was a sophomore and you were assigned as my lab partner. Freshmen weren't even supposed to take chemistry, Liv! You pissed me off, you were so damn smart, and sexy, and...I admit I was a bit cocky," he added with a smirk.

"A bit? You kept calling me 'little girl,' and making rude comments about my ass," Olivia said with a laugh.

Elliot brushed her hair back and looked into her eyes. "And then, during that water-cycle experiment, you punched me. Then I told you why I was acting the way I was," he said.

"And I forgave you, because you were so cute with your swollen eye and sad little face," Olivia recalled.

"And we've been best friends, ever since, and nothing's gonna change that," Elliot said, firmly. "Nothing."

* * *

Elliot padded into the bedroom, catching Olivia towel-drying her hair. She was sitting on the edge of the bed in pink, flannel pajama pants and a tank top. She was breathtaking, he thought. He crawled onto the bed and enveloped her. She smiled and turned her head over her shoulder.

"Hi, Stabler," she said, cheerfully.

"Hey, Benson," he said, happily, kissing her neck.

She moaned a little. "Don't do that," she breathed as her eyes rolled back.

"Just kissing you," he whispered against her skin.

"We were just kissing last night, too," Olivia panted as her hand found it way to the back of Elliot's neck.

He chuckled. "I'm keeping my hands right here, see," he promised, wrapping his arms tighter around her. She leaned her head back and moaned as he kissed and nibbled her neck.

Olivia, clutching on to his hair, pulled him off of her throat and brought his lips to hers, working him into a slow, passionate kiss. He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. "I've got an idea, something that might keep your nightmares away tonight," he told her.

"Oh? Well, let's hear it, Stabler," she said with a light laugh.

Elliot let go of her, slid back on the bed and pushed the sheets down. "Come here," he said.

Olivia tossed the towel into the hamper and scooted back.

Elliot made sure she was comfortable, then climbed in next to her. He wrapped her tightly in his arms, pulling her close so she was lying, protectively, half-under him. He made sure they were eye level with each other and looped one leg around her, then grasped her hand. "Go to sleep," he said. He nuzzled her nose, and kissed her tenderly. "I'm right here, no one's gonna hurt you."

Olivia snuggled closer, squeezed his hand, and shut her eyes. Elliot's eyes drifted shut as his body curled tighter around hers. The nightmares didn't come.

* * *

"I don't understand any of this crap," Alex mumbled.

"If you understood it, Cabot, you wouldn't need to take this class," Elliot responded.

Alex huffed. "Olive understands it! Perfectly," she said, glaring at Olivia.

Elliot chuckled. "That's because she's fucking Wonder Woman. Just find the translation of the damn phrases."

"Why can't you just give the answers to us, Benson," Casey whined.

"Madame Rechaud told me I'm not allowed to help you. That's why I'm the one with the stop-watch." Her eyes twinkled as she caught Elliot's gaze. "But, if you were to ask me if I had the time, I'd be able to say, 'Yes, I have the time," Olivia said, deliberately.

Casey looked up at her, confused. Alex popped her head up. "Quoi?"

Olivia laughed and then Elliot kissed her cheek. "Guy's, number nine means, 'Yes, I have the time."

"Ohh," Alex said, quickly writing it down. "Thanks for not helping, Olive."

"Fifteen seconds, guys. If I were you I would," she paused and glanced over at Elliot's paper. "Find the last answer, please."

Elliot chuckled and wrote down, "Find the last answer, please," next to its French translation and held up his hand.

Madame Rechaud walked over and looked at the papers and smiled. "Ah! Bien," she said. Then in English she leaned over, whispering, "Don't forget to thank Olivia, guys." She winked and walked away. The four friends chuckled as they packed up their books.

* * *

During the break between second and third period, Olivia and Elliot were standing in front of his locker, sharing a tender moment. He was nuzzling her nose, brushing her hair back. She was smiling and laughing, intertwining their fingers.

Casey and Fin awkwardly spoke about his allergy to dairy products. Alex was flicking her lighter and Chester was staring at her, blankly. Everyone's head shot up, quickly, when they heard Kathy scream.

The blonde ran over to the group of friends surrounding Elliot's locker and handed him the photo. "Which one of your little friend's is behind this, Elliot?"

Elliot looked down, and the photo wasn't of Kathy and the priest. It was of Kathy and Chester, kissing, at a party. The timestamp on the picture set it sometime in November of the previous year, when she and Elliot were still together. He flipped the picture over and in horrifyingly bad handwriting, a note declared, _"Tell him the truth, or I will. I know what you were planning. Your other secret isn't safe either, bitch." _

Elliot thrust the photo back into Kathy's hand. "I don't think any of my friends would do that, Kathy. I don't hang out with people like you anymore. And I knew you were cheating on me because I wouldn't sleep with you, I just didn't think you were doing it with Chester!" he yelled, immediately glaring at his friend.

"Woah, hey, she told me you broke up and that you knew and wouldn't mind!" Chester barked, defensively.

Elliot shook his head. "What does that mean? What plan? What other secret, Kathy?" he yelled through gritted teeth.

"I...uh," she looked around, nervously. Any one of the people watching, staring, could tell him, and at least, if she told him herself, there could still be a chance he'd come back to her. "I wanted you...damn it, Elliot. I'm pregnant. Clearly, it isn't yours, but that's why I was pushing..."

"You wanted me to think it was mine?" he asked, softly, shocked. "You were going to lie to me, about a _baby_, what...why?"

Olivia's eyes widened. "Oh, my God."

Elliot looked at Olivia with a raised eyebrow. He thought she had written the note, that she had known. He pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. "It's okay, Liv," he whispered to her.

Kathy shook her head. "My parents loved you, Elliot. I loved you, but your father thought..."

"My father? What about my father?" Elliot spat.

"Your father thought I wasn't good enough for you. He came to see me, last year, and told me that the only way he'd ever let you stay with me was if you, uh, had to. So, I tried to..."

"Wow," Elliot interrupted. "Thanks, Joe. So, who's kid is it, Kathy? Do you even know?"

Kathy slowly nodded and walked away.

Alex smirked and flicked her lighter again. "Okay, not the secret or the plan I was talking about. But, fuck, that was fun!"

"You gave her that picture?" Olivia asked, her eyes widening.

"I wanted her to tell Chester that she was only using him to make Stabler jealous at that party so Elliot would sleep with her. I didn't know a damn thing about a baby," Alex said, wrapping an arm around Olivia and pulling her down the hall. The others followed, in silent shock. Father Abrams was gonna be a real father.

* * *

"American life in the seventeenth century was..." the teacher was interrupted by a knock on the door and Casey flicked a note at Olivia.

Olivia furrowed her brow at Casey as she unfolded the note. _Fin asked me to the movies. He wants to see 'Tiger Mauls Bear' that dumb martial arts movie. What do I say?_

Olivia rolled her eyes and shook her head. She scribbled a reply and tossed it back.

Casey opened it greedily. _You are acting like an eighth grader._ Casey scoffed and looked up at Olivia, who was smirking at her.

"Just go," Olivia mouthed.

Casey nodded then looked up at the front of the class. Her eyes widened.

Olivia saw her expression and faced the front. Her eyes, too, grew large.

The boy at the front of the room looked at her and winked, smiling smugly.

"Guys, we've got a transfer student from Trinity Prep," the history teacher said. "I'd like you all to meet, and welcome, Brian Cassidy."

**A/N: What happens now? Review if you wanna know!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: How does Olivia react to Brian being at her school? What does he want? Does he finally give up?**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© owns the narrative, dialogue and plot of this story**

"What the hell is he doing here?" Olivia spat to Casey, walking out of her history class. "I hope he knows I plan on ignoring him. Completely!"

"I can hear you, ya know," Brian said, sounding offended.

Olivia simply rolled her eyes and kept walking, ignoring him. She saw Elliot coming out of his class and her mood instantly changed. She smiled and started walking faster, pulling Casey down the hall. "El!" she called brightly.

Elliot looked up and when he saw her, he grinned and ran toward her. They met with a hug and he lifted her up into his arms. "Hey, Benson," he said, sweetly.

"Hey," she whispered into his hair. She breathed him in, her eyes fluttering shut as her lungs filled with his scent. "I love you," she added.

Elliot dropped her gently to her feet and brushed her hair back. "I love you, too, Liv," he said with a smile. He looked into her eyes and he saw them sparkle as his words left his mouth. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Brian, but he kept his eyes fixed on Olivia. "I'm trying very hard not to punch him. What's he doing here?"

"He transferred," Casey barked. "Because he has a death wish."

"No," Brian said. "I transferred because I got expelled from Trinity. Apparently, they don't appreciate a good practical joke."

Olivia turned to him. "No one appreciates your face, Brian, but there ain't much we can do about it."

Brian tilted his head. "Hardy Har, Benson."

"You aren't here to try and get to Liv? Because, I'd kill you," Elliot assured him.

Brian folded his arms. "The thought crossed my mind, yeah, but I'm not dumb enough to try anything with you watching. I'll wait till she's alone, we'll talk, she'll realize what a mistake..."

"Ever being with you in the first place was," Olivia finished. "Come on, Stabler. Casey, we have to meet Fin and Alex outside." She held onto Elliot's hand and pulled him down the hall, heading toward the main doors. They walked outside and met Fin, Alex and Chester on the top step. Alex, smoking, turned red when she saw Brian.

"You really don't have a brain do you, Scarecrow?" Alex spat, her cigarette bouncing lightly between her lips.

"I do. And believe me, I wouldn't be wasting it on this place if I had a choice. It's the only school that would take me," Brian told them.

"They've lowered their standards," Olivia said with a chuckle.

Brian looked at Olivia, then at Elliot. "So have you, Olivia," he said, rudely.

Elliot wrapped an arm around her, pulled her close, closed his eyes and sighed. "I will not kill him, I will not kill him, I will not kill him."

Olivia laughed. "I love you," she said, kissing him. "We have a ton of homework to do."

Elliot nodded. "Let's go home then," he said with a smile.

Brian watched, confused, as Elliot and Olivia walked to his truck, hand-in-hand, and drove away. "Olivia lives in the other direction," he said with a furrowed brow.

"Not anymore," Alex said, blowing smoke right in Cassidy's face. She laughed as he coughed, and she, Casey and Fin walked away, leaving him to ponder what Alex meant.

* * *

"How do you do it, Liv?" Elliot asked, watching Olivia fly through her calculus homework. "You're so damn smart."

Olivia smirked. "When I got home from school, every day, I locked myself in my room with my books, hoping my mother would leave me alone. She never did, of course, but when she was hitting me, I'd distract myself by going over what I'd been studying."

"Damn, Liv," Elliot said, looking away from her. "I wish I'd met you sooner. I would have..."

"I know, El." She sat up and looked at him, into his blue eyes, and her breath hitched. "You're doing it now, though."

He leaned in to kiss her, just as he phone rang. "Hmmm," he groaned, kissing her quickly before answering. "Hello? Oh, hi. Yes, she is. Fine. Yes. You did? I knew they would, I told you she wasn't lying! Her mother...sorry, I just...thank you. Oh, by the way, when the hell did you talk to Kathy? No, we broke...I'm with Liv. Yes. Well, thank you, really. Bye." He hung up and looked at Olivia with an unsure expression.

"What was all of that about, Stabler?" Olivia asked, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

"That was, uh, Joe," he said, rubbing his hands on his pants. "The judge thinks you're what they call a 'child in need of assistance', and he agrees, based on your medical records and statements from you, me, Alex, and Casey, that you should, and probably will, be legally emancipated. Your lawyer, some chick named Donnelly, is very young but tough. She's claiming severe parental abuse and neglect," Elliot confirmed.

Olivia let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "So, that's good, right? That's what we wanted."

Elliot ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, baby, it is. But, you've gotta go to court, tell the whole damn story over again to people who probably, really won't care, and I don't want to put you through that if..."

"El," Olivia said, rising to her feet. "If I have to, I have to. There's some stuff even you don't know, so maybe if I tell you everything, sort of like a practice run, it won't be too hard. I just want her out of my life, El. For good. When is this court thing?"

Elliot looked at Olivia, pressed his lips to hers quickly and said, "Saturday."

Olivia's eyes widened. "Shit, El, the day after tomorrow?" Eliot nodded and ran his hands up and down her arms. Olivia blinked and decided. "Well, then, uh, sit down. I'll start talking."

He held her as she told him every horrible story, and he let her cry and calmed her down and they fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms. For the third night in a row, there were no nightmares for her.

Olivia woke up wrapped tightly in Elliot's embrace. She pulled herself free from his tight grasp, waking him up in the process.

"You okay?" He asked, his eyes fluttering open.

"Yeah," Olivia said. "I'm okay. Thanks for listening, by the way," she said with a smile.

Elliot smiled back, kissed her and said, "Thanks for talking."

She kissed him, again, and nuzzled his nose before climbing out of the bed and heading into the bathroom. He heard the shower run and squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to think about how much he wanted her. In every sense of the word.

* * *

"Hey," Casey whispered as Elliot and Olivia slid into the pew.

"Hi," Olivia said, pulling Elliot closer. "Where's Alex?"

"Um, she's in the confessional," Casey said with a smirk.

Olivia furrowed her brow. "Hold on, Cabot is confessing?"

"No," Fin said. "But she should."

"She's in there with Chester," Casey said, snickering.

Elliot's eyes widened. "When the hell did that happen?"

"When they got here," Fin said. "Chester looked around, didn't see the priest, pulled her in."

"Damn," Elliot said. "They'd better get their asses out here soon. Father Michael's taking attendance."

Alex and Chester burst out of one of the small, wooden doors. Chester straightened out his tie as Alex smoothed out her vest and they walked toward their pew. They had smug smirks on their faces as they slid in next to their friends. "What's up, guys?" Alex asked.

Olivia and Elliot looked at her, unblinking, and shook their heads. They saw Alex smirk at them, then faced front to listen to the sermon. Olivia rested her head on Elliot's shoulder as the priest droned on. Elliot dropped his head to hers, lovingly nuzzling her.

Brian, watching, leaned over to the blonde next to him. "Hey, do you know that guy?"

"Who, Elliot? Yeah," she said, sadly.

"What's his story? I mean, what's up with him and Olivia?" Brian asked.

The girl shook her head and sighed. "She's like the love of his life or something. They're inseparable. Even when he was with me, he was in love with her."

Brain looked at her and smiled. "I'm Brian," he said, holding out his hand.

"Kathy," she said, shaking it.

"Well, Kathy, I have a story to tell you." Brian had an idea, and now he had an accomplice.

* * *

"So, when did you start hooking up with Chester?" Olivia asked Alex during gym. She was sitting on the bleachers watching the girls lose.

Alex shrugged. "I'm not. It was just today, really. I guess we just..." she paused to hit the ball, "Thought that, since everyone else was pairing off, we should give it a shot."

Casey chuckled. "And? Any sparks?"

"It was like he was trying to give me a bath," Alex said, rolling her eyes. "Hey, Olive, what's it like kissing Stabler?"

Olivia's eyes sparkled at the mere mention of his name, and she got a dreamy look on her face. "I'm not really religious, so kissing him is probably as close to Heaven as I'll ever get."

Alex and Casey looked at her, blankly, smirking and only stopped staring when the ball flew and hit Casey in the head.

"Sorry!" Fin yelled, looking embarrassed.

Casey rubbed the side of her head and smiled at him. Maybe she did do more than just like him.

* * *

"Hey," Elliot said, grabbing Olivia after she came out of the gym. He'd waited for her.

Olivia looked up at him and smiled. "What's up, Stabler?" she asked, kissing him.

"Look over my shoulder, to the left, and tell me that I'm not crazy. I did see those two kissing, right?" he asked, furrowing his brow.

Olivia looked beyond Elliot, to the left, and her eyes widened. "Shit," she said softly. Then she laughed. "I would warn him about her, but I don't like him enough."

Elliot chuckled, kissed Olivia again, and said, "I guess she found her scapegoat." He turned, wrapped an arm around Olivia's waist and they walked down the hall, passing Brian and Kathy who were kissing up against the lockers.

The two of them stopped kissing when they realized that neither Olivia nor Elliot really cared, and they looked at each other. Kathy's eyes narrowed. Brian smirked. Maybe they would be able to get over their first loves after all. Brian nodded at Kathy, she smiled at him, and they kissed again, with a whole new reason behind it.

* * *

"So, we're all going to this hearing tomorrow, Benson. You'll have a ton of support," Casey said, reaching across the table for the ketchup.

Olivia smiled biting into her sandwich. "Thanks, guys, but you really don't have to come. It's just gonna be me and the lawyer, my mother and her lawyer, and a child advocacy committee," she explained. She didn't really want her friends there. Telling Elliot was hard. Telling Alex, Casey and Fin, whom she barely knew, would be downright painful.

"Olive," Alex said, with a mouthful of pizza. "We promise, anything that you say in that room, stays in that room. You don't think we know that you've kept things to yourself? We want you to know that we're here for you, and we're gonna be there when you finally put this whole fucking thing behind you." She swallowed, took a sip of her soda and grinned. "We also can't wait to see the look on Serena's face when she finds out she can't control you anymore, and she's gonna lose all of the fame and glory that comes with being your mother."

Casey smirked. "We wanna share in your victory. You're finally fighting back and we wanna be a part of it," she said.

Olivia smiled at her friends, gratefully, and wrapped her arms around Elliot. She felt lucky and blessed to have these people in her life. For so long, she was afraid that they'd ruin, or they'd change if they knew about what she'd been through. As she looked up into Elliot's loving eyes and felt his Heavenly lips on hers, she realized that she'd been stupid to worry. Her friends, her life, and her freedom, were all worth fighting for, and she knoew, now, that she didn't have to fight alone. She turned to Alex. "It's at nine o'clock," she said. "Thank you."

Casey, her elbow resting on Fin's shoulder, shook her head and chuckled. "Benson, that's what friends are for."

Elliot placed another kiss to Olivia's forehead. He leaned his head on Olivia's and corrected Casey. "No, Novak. That's what family's for."

**A/N: Next chap: The outcome of that hearing. Does Olivia get her emancipation? Does she get to stay with Elliot? And what happens when they finally confront Joe Stabler? **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Court won't be fun for them for a few years, but this experience will come in handy, won't it?**

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and its Characters belong to Dick Wolf. Storyline, narrative and dialogue belong to TStabler©**

A young, blonde lawyer approached the bench and spoke, directly to the person in the seat. "So, you received a phone call, from a young woman, telling you that your daughter had become sexually active with her boyfriend, correct?"

"Yes," Serena said, clearly.

"Now, instead of confronting her calmly, and asking her if what you had heard was true, you beat her half to death with a broken vodka bottle," the lawyer stated.

Serena's eye widened. "Now, wait a minute..."

"Ladies and gentlemen of the committee," the blonde lawyer, named Donnelly, said, "I would like to draw your attention to page twelve of your records. Those are photos of the injuries sustained by Olivia Benson during the attack in question," she declared. "You did, in fact, hit her with the bottle, as well as your bare hands. Is that correct, Miss Benson?"

Serena looked down. "Yes."

"Why didn't you ask her if what you'd heard was true? We know, for a fact, after a medical examination proved it, that she did not have sex." The lawyer folded her arms.

"I...don't know," Serena said, shrugging. "Anger and worry and..."

Donnelly interrupted her. "And you were drunk, Miss Benson. You're blood alcohol level, upon your arrest that same night, was almost six times the legal limit. The police were amazed that you were still conscious! According to statements, Miss Benson, this was typical for you. You were always drunk, or drinking, weren't you?"

"I have a problem, and I need help," Serena said, sounding dry and technical.

"Yes," Donnelly said. "You should have sought that help when your daughter was younger, but instead you took seventeen years of anger and frustration and impaired judgment out on a helpless child."

Serene yelled, then. "Helpless? She broke my damn leg!"

"Oh, now, Miss Benson, please. At seventeen, she finally fought back. You broke her arm, that night, too. And, we all heard her harrowing testimony. We have copies of her medical records that corroborate her statements. When she was five years old, you broke four of her ribs with a baseball bat. She was helpless then. When she was six, and still helpless, you broke her nose when you hit her in the face with a cooking pot. When she was nine, you broke her left leg when you threw her down the stairs. When she was twelve..."

"Okay!" Serena yelled. "But, she deserved it! No one has asked me what she did to me. No one has asked for my side of the story," she spat.

"Tell us, then. Go on. What could a child have possibly done to deserve being beaten and bruised and broken, over and over again?" Donnelly questioned.

Serena glared at Olivia. "She was born! I was raped, I got pregnant, I had her. She reminds me of him, and that horrible night, every damn day! Do you know what that's like? I had a child, I couldn't get the help I needed. I had no one to leave her with to go to therapy, I had to give up my friends and forget about dating! She ruined my life."

"Forgive me, Miss Benson," Donnelly said with a scoff as she turned to the committee. "But, Olivia Benson is a model student, and always has been. She's quiet, artistic, and she has won thousands of dollars in award money from essay contests, science competitions and several other events in which she participated. All of that money, by the way, went to feed her mother's alcohol addiction," she said, gesturing to Serena. "Olivia has, time and again, taken care of her mother when she was too drunk to take care of herself, and she was repaid with bruises and broken bones. She's proven that she is resilient, strong, and she is incredibly brave. I ask you, how could a daughter like that ruin a mother's life? If you ask me, I think it's the other way around." Donnelly turned back to Serena and narrowed her eyes. "You're the one who ruined Olivia's life, Miss Benson."

* * *

Elliot was holding Olivia, tightly, as they sat on the bench in the hallway. He was stroking her hair back and dropping sweet kisses to the top of her head. "I'm so proud of you," he whispered to her. "No matter what they decide, baby, I'm incredibly proud of you."

"Did you see the way that lady told off your mom, Benson? Damn," Alex said, sitting upside down on the bench. "I can not wait to be a lawyer. I'm gonna be just like her, only, ya know, cooler. And less of a cold-blooded bitch."

Olivia chuckled as she held on to Elliot. "Lawyers are supposed to be cold, Cabot. You have to..."

"Olivia," Joseph Stabler said, coming toward them. "You were wonderful, sweetheart."

"Sweetheart?" Elliot questioned, shocked. "Listen, we're grateful for everything you've done, but I don't think..."

"Elliot," his father interrupted. "You're mother and I miss you. You're brother and sisters miss you. I know why you left, I understand it, and I can't change it. But, I can try to fix it now, can't I?"

Elliot shook his head. "Not really, no."

"Nice, Elliot. Anyway, Olivia," he said, looking down at her, "It looks good, honey. Serena made a complete mess of her case when she yelled at that lawyer, and you held yourself together, despite her lawyer's vicious questioning, very well. Listen, Olivia, I know he's told you stories of his own, about me and...they're all true. And unlike your mother, I can't hide behind alcohol. Everything I did, I did while I was sober. I can, however, do everything I can to try and make it up to him."

"If you really wanted to make it up to him, you would have done all of this for him without forcing him to do anything in return," Olivia replied, innocently.

Joe smiled. "You really are a very smart girl. I did what was best, for the both of you, whether you know it now or not, it's the truth." He stood up and held out his hand to Elliot. "I'll see you soon, Son," he said.

Elliot shook his father's hand. "Thanks. For everything," he said. They watched Joe nod and walk away, not looking back once.

"Olivia Benson?" the bailiff called. "They're ready for you."

Alex, Casey, Fin, Elliot and Olivia rose to their feet and looked at each other. Elliot clutched tightly to Olivia's hand and kissed her. "It's gonna be okay, baby," he promised her. The bailiff held the door open as the five friends walked into the courtroom to hear the committees decision.

* * *

"Why the hell are we celebrating?" Olivia asked, watching her friends raise their glasses.

Casey raised her eyebrows. "Um, hello? Legal adult at the table! You just fought back, hard, and won! Why isn't this worth celebrating?"

Olivia dropped her head to Elliot's shoulder. "It's...complicated. I know it needed to be done, and I know I should be happy and relieved, but she was the only real family I had, guys. Plus, now I have to get a fucking job!"

They all laughed, even Olivia chuckled lightly, and Elliot leaned down and whispered, "Not unless you..."

"No," she said, dryly, without hearing the rest of his sentence.

"You're stubborn, Benson," Elliot quipped, laughing and dropping a kiss to her forehead.

"And you're a hot-head, Stabler," she spat back. "Why are we even together?" she asked, looking up at him.

Elliot cupped her chin with one hand. "Because, we love each other. More than anything. Now, shut up and eat your burger," he said, kissing her on the lips.

"So, I got that lawyer's name and phone number," Alex said, with a mouthful. "She said I could work at the law-firm over the summer."

Olivia bit into her burger and chewed, saying, "Oh, great. Now, you're really gonna think you're a fucking lawyer."

Casey threw a fry at Olivia, earning a glare in return. "How does it feel, Benson?"

"Getting pelted with a potato? Didn't hurt," Olivia returned.

"No," Casey laughed. "Finally, you don't have to worry about ever going home to her. You don't have to be afraid of what she might do or say, and you don't have to go to that stupid ass school just because she teaches there."

Fin looked up. "Wait, your alcoholic, child-abusin' momma is a teacher?"

"An English professor at Hudson University. The only time she's sober is when she's teaching, because it's the only time she isn't thinking about me or...him. Whoever he is," Olivia said, taking another bite.

"She was gonna make you go there? With your brain? You could go anywhere, and she was gonna force you to go to a state school?" Chester asked.

Olivia nodded. "She said that I'd get a ton of scholarships and grants, but as the child of a faculty member I'd only have to pay half of the actual tuition. She wanted..."

"To keep the rest of the money," Alex finished. "What a bitch, Olive. I am so glad that's all over."

"Yeah," Olivia said. "If only honors history was as easy as getting legally emancipated."

Laughter erupted at the table, as the friends ate, and Elliot saw a new light in Olivia's eyes. She looked at him and smiled, and he saw the face of relief. She'd never admit it, but she'd been so terrified. He knew it. He pulled her close and kissed her sweetly. "Eat fast, Liv. I wanna take you home. I have a surprise for you."

"Damn," Alex yelled. "Hungry, Olive?" she asked, watching as Olivia ate faster than she'd ever seen her eat before. Olivia nodded and as soon as the last fry was chewed and swallowed, she chugged her coke, Elliot threw a twenty dollar bill on the table, laughing, and they left. Casey, Fin, Alex and Chester stared after them in wonderment.

Chester eyed Alex and asked, "You don't think they're gonna..."

"No," Casey said, interrupting. "Olivia's not that kinda girl. He wants to wait, anyway, and she'll definitely make him work for it. But, there obviously going home for _some_thing."

* * *

"Okay," Elliot said, holding his hands over her eyes, kicking the door closed behind him. "I was pretty sure they were gonna find in your favor, so I had some guys from the team do me a favor."

"I can't see shit, Stabler, and your hands smell like bacon," Olivia barked, pulling at his fingers with a laugh.

Elliot chuckled. "Hold on, baby, we're not there yet," he said, leading her into the bedroom. He pulled his hands away and she gasped.

"Oh, my God, El," she cried. "When? How?"

"This morning, with these," he said as he handed her keys back to her. "Never leave your backpack unattended." He kissed the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her. "I know how important that desk is to you, and I know how much you missed your clothes, so I had some pals bring your desk and your dresser here while we were at the hearing." He patted her on the butt, ushering her toward her desk, and said, "Go open the top drawer."

Olivia looked back at him, confused, as she walked toward her desk. "What did you do, Stabler?"

"Just open it, Benson," he chuckled.

Olivia put her hand on the handle of the top, center drawer, and pulled. Her eyes widened as she pulled out a long, thin, black box. "What. Did. You. Do?"

Elliot grinned, his smug, Stabler-grin, and walked toward her, boring into her very soul as he looked into her eyes. "Open it," he demanded.

Her gaze dropped from his eyes to the box and she flipped it open. "Oh, my God," she gasped.

"You like it?" Elliot asked, reaching for it. When she nodded, her mouth still hung open, he smiled and took the necklace out of the box. "Hold your hair up, baby," he requested. He fastened the chain around her neck and straightened out the pendant.

"Why, El?" Olivia asked, looking down at the key-shaped charm with a diamond heart in the middle.

Elliot placed a sweet kiss to her lips. "Because, this," he said, pulling his keys out of his pocket. "Isn't much good without a key." He held out a shiny, silver heart-shaped lock, with a keyhole in the middle. He reached up, lifted the key off of her skin, and showed Olivia that her necklace actually opened the lock. "You've got the key to my heart," he said, pulling the key out of the lock. He clicked it back onto his keys and looked at Olivia. He saw a tear rolling down her cheek, and he shook his head. "Now, what did I say? You are way too beautiful to cry." He swiped his thumb over her tear and kissed her.

She pulled him closer, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, intensely. She pulled away, looked up into his eyes, and said, "I love you, Elliot Stabler."

"I love you, Olivia Benson. Never forget it, never doubt it." He kissed her as his arms wrapped, possessively, around her, and led her to the bed. Attached at the lips, Olivia crawled over him, straddling him, and ran her hands down his chest. She felt him react to her, and she moaned into his mouth, unintentionally bucking her hips. "Liv," he said against their kiss. "Slow down, baby."

Olivia pulled away from him, looked into his eyes, and smoothed his hair back. "No sex, El. I promise," she said, leaning down to kiss him again. "But, maybe..."

He stopped her. "Baby," he said, his eyes glistening, "You trust me, right?"

"With my life," she nodded.

Elliot smirked and flipped them over. "I've never done this before, so I can't promise it's gonna be as exciting as it should be, but I've been dying to do this to you."

Olivia looked at him, quizzically, as he slid her jeans over her hips. Her eyes widened when he hooked his fingers through her boy shorts. She gasped, her head dropped to the pillow and her eyes rolled back into her head, when he showed her exactly what he was talking about. "God, El," she moaned. "What the hell..."

"Liv," he said, looking up at her, "God, baby. We're gonna be here for a while. This is fucking amazing." He smirked at her, then lowered his head, resuming his previous actions.

* * *

Frank and Rita Malone sat on their couch, staring at their daughter, Kathy. She looked back at them with drooping eyes and her left leg was bouncing nervously. "You're going to explain this, Katherine. And we are pressing charges against him," Frank yelled.

"Don't! Don't do that! He didn't do anything wrong! I already told you, the baby isn't his, it's Brain's."

"Didn't do anything wrong?" Frank yelled. "He's a priest, Kathy!"

"And this Brain," Rita said. "Whom we don't even know. Kathy, what happened with you and that nice Stabler boy? He was so moral and he would never get you into this mess."

"I know he wouldn't! That's why I...you don't understand, Mom!" Kathy yelled.

"Kathy!" Frank yelled. "We need to meet this Brian boy, and you're both going to have to start figuring out what you want to do with your lives, together!"

Kathy's eyes widened. "What? Daddy, what do you mean?"

"He made this baby, now he's going to make sure he's around to take care of it. I'm calling that boy's father, and you two are going to make sure this is handled the Catholic way. You know, Kathy, that we raised you to be married before you had sex, or children."

"Wait!" Kathy screamed. "You expect me to marry Brian?"

Frank rose to his feet and walked toward the phone on the table. "I don't expect it, Kathy. I demand it."

Kathy dropped her head into her hands and stared at the photos on the coffee table. Whoever sent them had not only ruined her plan to get Elliot back, but they'd made sure she'd be miserable for the rest of her life.

**A/N: Oh, my! What?? Review!?? **


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Beware of very short time-jumps, new dates will appear before the text. I promise, you won't miss anything juicy =) **

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and its Characters belong to Dick Wolf. Storyline and dialogue, and narrative belong to TStabler©**

October 20th, 1999

"You get that cast off today, right?" Alex asked, while Madame Rechaud was writing new French verbs on the blackboard.

Olivia nodded. "Stabler's taking me, right after school. Oh! He has a game tonight, and, for the love of God, can you not paint your face this time?"

Alex chuckled. "Hey, not many people would have the balls to paint their faces plaid, but I do it to support my team! The Saint Mary's…what the hell are we?"

"The Saints, Cabot," Elliot said, proving he was listening.

"Okay, so maybe I don't do it to support the team, but when the other guys look up and see this freaky blond chick with a plaid face, they drop the damn ball, don't they? Elliot and Fin both scored on account of the other team's fumbles last week," Alex explained proudly.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "You almost gave Chester a heart-attack," she spat in a whisper.

"Fine, no face-paint," Alex said, giving in.

Elliot chuckled. "Thank God," he hailed.

"Me, Casey and Olive will just show up in our underwear," Alex offered. She almost died when she saw the expression on Elliot's face as he choked. Olivia reached over and smacked her, sitting perfectly in her seat, smiling innocently, when Madame Rechaud turned around.

Elliot tugged on Olivia's vest as they walked out of their French class. She turned around and was met with a searing kiss. In the month following her hearing, they'd only gotten closer. Elliot felt the unfading need to protect and defend her, no matter what. Olivia felt the same way. Their love, though young, was intense, and they'd been vastly exploring new ways to prove it to each other, without giving in and having _actual_ sex. Anyone watching this kiss, though, would have assumed otherwise.

"Okay, so you're up to two minutes," Alex spat, looking down at her watch as the couple finally needed to come up for air. "Stabler, if you could detach your lips from hers for about fifty-three minutes, we have trig."

Casey fluttered her eyes. "The new teacher is so freakin' cute," she blathered. Her eyes shot to Fin, who pressed his lips together and narrowed his eyes at her. "Not as cute as you, Fin," she added, kissing him on the cheek.

"Man, I still can't believe Father Abrams was carried out of here in cuffs. I feel kinda bad for him," Fin uttered. "You sure it wasn't one of us?"

The group nodded, but looked suspiciously at Alex. "Hey, I was pissed, yeah, but I think we were all a bit busy with the hearing and trying to keep Benson safe to even think about sending out those photos," Alex said. "Olive wins over Malone any day."

"I just can't believe her parents think it's Brian's baby," Olivia said.

Elliot nuzzled her neck and mumbled, "So does he, Liv. She didn't…"

"Oh, my God," Casey shouted. "Are you serious? She's gonna let him take the fall? What a sleaze."

"It could have been me, if I wasn't crazy in love with this one," Elliot said, pulling Olivia closer. "She saved my life, by me just thinking about her." He kissed her, quickly and sweetly. "Go be smarter than the teacher," he said, smacking her on the butt.

Olivia kissed the tip of his nose, and winked. "Go pass your Spanish test."

"Oh," Elliot said with a steamy look in his eyes. "You know I will."

Casey and Alex dragged Olivia down the hall and headed into their math class, as Elliot and Fin met up with Chester in Spanish. The three guys sat in row, talking, until the bell rang. Their teacher handed out the tests and, once again, Elliot looked down and smirked. "I love it when she helps me study," he said to himself. His pen hit the paper and he wrote fast, picturing her Spanish covered body in his mind. He handed the test in, first again, and to his teacher's surprise, he'd written almost fluently. He sat back down, after handing in his test, and caught Fin's astonished expression. He chuckled and waited, silently, for the rest of the class to finish. There was no study aid quite like Olivia Benson, he mused to himself.

* * *

"Tangent, cosines, functions," Casey listed, venomously, waving her quiz, and her brand new "C," around her head. "When the hell will I ever need this shit?"

Olivia laughed. "Never, but high school is designed to teach us useless crap, isn't it?"

"Check this shit out," Elliot said, striding over to the girls, holding up his test. He pointed proudly to the big red "A." "I think this deserves some kind of reward."

Olivia leaned into him and narrowed her eyes. "I thought studying _was_ your reward. Do you know how hard it was to get eyeliner off of…"

"Hey, uh, Olivia?" Brian asked, walking up to them. "I suppose you've heard already, and I just wanted to say, I'm sorry."

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"For Kathy. I was trying to make you jealous, and she was just using me to get to Stabler, and now we're…uh…well, I mean to say, if you had wanted to get back together…if you do, you have to speak now, or forever hold your peace."

Olivia furrowed her brow and snuggled closer to Elliot. "Brian, I hope you and Kathy will be very happy together. Go with God. Go with him far, far, away."

Brian sighed. "I thought you'd say something like that," he said. "Uh, you're both invited to the, uh, party. Keep an eye on your mail." He walked away, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Party? What party?" Casey asked. "We're going to a party?"

Chester looked at her and chuckled, then looked at Elliot and Olivia who looked just as confused. "Guys," he said. "Brian and Kathy are getting married next month."

Alex shook her head. "Thank God it's time for gym, I need a cigarette," she spat. The group walked down the hall, shocked, and turned into the gymnasium.

* * *

"They are giant children," Elliot said, laughing, watching Casey and Alex dive into piles of leaves. Chester and Fin were throwing the leaves at each other, as if they would really cause damage.

"But, they look like their having fun," Olivia said, leaning back into Elliot's arms. She clutched a handful of leaves from the ground beside her and tossed them at Elliot's face. "See? Fun!"

Elliot laughed, shaking the leaves off of him, and pulling her closer. "We'll play in the leaves tomorrow, when you're out of that cast. You can join in during gym again, too. I know you're dying to get in the game now that we've moved on to tennis."

"Uh, no," Olivia said, dismissively.

"Oh, yeah," he said, kissing her. "You hate tennis."

Olivia shook her head. "I don't hate tennis," she said. Then she softly added, "I hate tennis rackets."

Elliot kissed her sweetly and smoothed out her hair. "Well, I promise, no one's gonna whack you with a racket, now, baby." He kissed her again, rubbing her arm. "Kathy had to drop gym and take an extra study hall, and she's the only one who'd even try."

Olivia nodded, kissing him. "I know, El," she sighed. "It's not all just gonna go away, though. It'll take a little more time. And you," she said with a laugh. "You're making it so easy to forget, and move on." She dropped her head to his shoulder and he kissed her head.

"I love you, Liv," he said, his voice low, and serious.

She looked up at him, seeing something new and heart-stopping in his eyes. Something dark, and different, and powerful in the way he'd said it, and the way he was looking at her, made her world shift three feet to the left. She stared back at him, just as hard. "I love you, too." She leaned in, metting his lips, and this kiss was hungry. Almost urgent, as if this would be their last kiss. Of course, it wouldn't be, though.

Their slightly intense moment was interrupted; Alex chucked a handful of leaves at them. "Hey, Romeo and Juliet, knock it the hell off, we just ate!"

* * *

"Okay," the handsome doctor said, "This might seem scary, but I promise, the blade is only going to cut through the plaster. It won't touch your arm." He turned on the little, circular saw, and Olivia clutched tightly to Elliot's hand with her free one.

"I'm right here, baby," he whispered to her.

Olivia nodded and felt a hefty jerk when the saw cut through the cast. Her arm hit the air for the first time in weeks when the doctor removed the cut plaster. "Wow," she said, swirling her wrist around. "That feels weird."

"It will, for a while," her doctor told her. "The bones healed very nicely, and if you keep fit and healthy, and take a calcium supplement, the chances of a re-break are going to be slim." He handed the cast back to her and smiled. "A lot of people signed this, Olivia. You might want to keep it."

Olivia shook her head. "It's okay. I don't want anything that _she_ gave me, thanks."

Elliot kissed the top of her head and helped her off of the table. "Thanks, Doc," he said, holding out his hand.

The doctor shook it and smiled. "You're very welcome. And, Olivia, don't take this the wrong way, but I don't want to see you in this emergency room, as a patient, ever again. Unless I'm delivering your children."

Olivia laughed. "You got it, Doctor Warner. Tell Melinda 'hi' for me," she said, brightly.

"Tell her yourself, Olivia. She's transferring to Saint Mary's on Monday. Someone brought a gun to school and her mother flipped, and now she thinks the New York City public school system is the Devil's playground," the doctor told her with a chuckle.

"I can understand that," Olivia said. "Well, tell her I'll see her on Monday, then." Olivia waved and let Elliot pull her out of the door.

"That's gonna be bad," Elliot said, leading Olivia to his truck.

"Why? She's a good friend of mine, El, I spent a lot of time in the E.R and she…"

Elliot laughed. "No, baby, if we're talking about the same Melinda Warner, then Casey's gonna have some competition. She's Fin's ex-girlfriend, and he never really got over her."

* * *

"Come on!" Casey yelled, brandishing a blue and yellow pom. "Score a home-run, Stabler! Go!"

Olivia laughed and smacked her in the arm. "Touchdown, Novak!"

"Touch what? I'm not…the ground is disgusting, Benson," Casey said, rolling her eyes.

"No, when you score points in football it's called a touchdown! You score home-runs in baseball," Alex said, puffing on her cigarette.

"Why the hell do you care about sports, anyway," Casey spat at her. "You hate this crap."

Alex blew a smoke ring at Casey. "Excuse me for not being the Queen of ESPN. I, unlike the two of you, am not dating a guy who can teach me the finer points of barbaric pastimes."

"I'm not dating Fin," Casey said. "We went out a few times, and we've kissed a bit."

Olivia patted Casey on the head. "That's dating, Novak."

Casey shrugged Olivia's hand off of her shoulder. "No, you are dating Stabler. He asked you out, right? He calls you his girlfriend."

"Uh, yeah, I really don't even know how that happened. He didn't ask me first, we're…not your average couple. Just because Fin hasn't asked you to be his girlfriend, doesn't mean you're not dating. Give it, uh, time," Olivia said, encouragingly, trying to ward off the threat of Melinda for as long as she could.

"Ask him out," Alex said, ashing her cigarette. "You want to be a high-powered, female-tyrant attorney. Take the next step in women's lib, and ask him."

Casey stared, wide-eyed, at Alex and turned to Olivia. "She has finally lost her damn mind," she said.

The girls laughed and Olivia snapped her head back to the field in time to see Elliot run into the end-zone. She cheered, loudly, screaming his name. He found her in the crowd, waved, and blew her a kiss when he took off his helmet. Olivia bit her bottom lip and waved back, then turned to her friends. "See, Casey? Now, that was a touchdown."

Casey caught Fin's eye as he high-fived Elliot, and she smiled, waving shyly.

Fin waved back, then Elliot whispered something to him, and his friendly face fell. His mouth dropped. He suddenly went pale.

Olivia knew, from watching, that Elliot just told Fin about Melinda.

**A/N: Drammmmmaaaaaa! Next chap: Weekend plans, a conversation with Joe Stabler, and we meet Melinda. Review?**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: What do the kids plan for the weekend? What does Elliot's dad want now? And who invited Melinda? She wasn't s'posed to be here till Monday….? **

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and its Characters belong to Dick Wolf. Storyline and dialogue, and narrative belong to TStabler©**

"No, we're leaving tonight after the game, since there's no school tomorrow," Elliot informed Fin and Chester during Spanish.

Chester looked at him, confused, and scratched his head. "I really could have sworn you said tomorrow, man. I'll have to meet you guys up there. I told my dad I'd help him with the garage. Ya know, some of us still have to answer to our parents."

"I will be answering to my father for the rest of my life, thanks," Elliot snapped back. "Just, he's actually gonna pay me," he added.

Fin shook his head. "You really didn't have to…" he stopped when he saw the glare he was getting from Elliot.

"Yeah, I did. And trust me, it was worth it," Elliot said, smiling. "You have your stuff with you, Fin?"

"In my locker," Fin answered. "You don't think the girls will freak when they find out where we're goin', do you?"

Elliot shrugged. "Liv won't, Casey might, Alex is such a firecracker, you never know what she's gonna do."

Fin leaned over and rested his elbows on his knees. "But what about Melinda?"

* * *

Casey leaned forward to Olivia during their trigonometry class. The teacher was writing notes on the board, and the girls were enjoying the view. "He has the nicest butt, like, ever," Casey muttered.

"No," Olivia said, shaking her head. "I've definitely seen a better butt."

Casey rolled her eyes. "I meant adult butt, Benson. And yeah, Stabler's ass totally wins."

"You're not allowed to look at Stabler's ass," Olivia spat over her shoulder.

"Speaking of Stabler's ass," Alex interjected, "Why won't he tell us where we're going? I had to tell my parents that we were gonna be in a house with adult supervision so they'd let me go, you know, I'd like to know if I lied."

Olivia chuckled. "I have no idea. Maybe the guys want to surprise us, or maybe they're taking us someplace all manly and don't want us to flip out on 'em."

"Option B sounds more like them," Casey said with a laugh. "And by the way, I can't help but look at Stabler's ass. It's so friggin…"

"Watch it," Olivia said, narrowing her eyes.

"Yours. Benson, it's all yours. I will never look at it again," Casey said, rolling her eyes. "Fin's butt's kind of flat, like the chest of a thirteen year old girl."

Alex looked at Casey, blankly, and said, "You have a serious case of verbal diarrhea."

"Am I really spending a full weekend with you two?" Olivia asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Oh, please," Alex spat. "Like you're gonna detach yourself from Stabler long enough to even notice we're there."

* * *

"Stop it," Olivia warned Elliot, as his hand snaked its way up her leg under the lab table.

"Stop what?" he asked innocently.

Olivia smirked at him. "I have a scalpel," Olivia said, threateningly.

"So do I," Elliot retorted, waggling his eyebrows.

"Jesus Christ, El," Olivia chuckled, elbowing him. "Can you remove your hand from my thigh for a second and hold this thing still?"

Elliot grabbed a hold of the dissection tray, holding it steady, as Olivia sliced through the snake's skin. "You ever wonder what goes through the minds of these creatures when they die?"

"Morbid, much?" Olivia quipped. "No, I don't. It makes it too personal. It makes them seem, I dunno, like…a victim."

Elliot looked at Olivia with raised eyebrows. "Well, technically, that's what they are, right? They're raised, they have this life, and they're happy. Then all of a sudden some guy in a white coat comes along and says, 'you're going to Saint Mary's so they can see how your insides work,' and the poor thing's…"

"El," Olivia interrupted, "Babe, these snakes died of natural causes at a zoo and were donated to the dissection company."

Elliot looked at her, wide-eyed. "Oh."

Olivia looked up at him and kissed his cheek. "Feel better?"

"Yeah, actually. I do." He let go of the tray and kissed her back.

"Good. Get your hand out of there, Stabler," she said, smirking at him.

* * *

Alex, Casey and Olivia were waiting by the side entrance to the football field for Fin and Elliot. A young girl, dark-skinned with long black curls, was walking toward them carrying a duffle bag. "Oh, my God," Olivia said, smiling.

"Olivia!" the girl yelled.

"Mel!" Olivia yelled back. They ran to each other and hugged. "What are you doing here?"

Melinda put her bag down and brushed her hair back. "Fin invited me. He said I should probably get to know everyone before I started school. It would make things easier. Hey, I heard about things with your mom. Tough," she said.

Olivia nodded. "It's getting better. I have great friends, and, oh! I'm, uh, seeing Elliot."

"Stabler? The guy you've been in love with since your freshman year? Fin's friend?"

"Yeah," Olivia said, smiling. "That's him."

"That's…wow, I'm happy for you." Melinda eyed Alex and Casey awkwardly, and she was met with some questioning stares.

Olivia noticed and introduced them. "Alex Cabot, Casey Novak, this is Melinda Warner. She's a senior from Roosevelt High, but she's transferring here."

"Nice to meet you," Casey said, politely.

Alex, blowing smoke rings, said a smug, "What's up?"

"Um, how do you know each other?" Casey asked, shivering.

Olivia pulled her jacket tighter and said, "Her father is the primary care physician in the E. R at Mercy General. She used to hang around the desk and the waiting room a lot. Needless to say, I spent quite a bit of time with her growing up."

The guys finally came through the locker room doors. The girls saw them, waved and shouted. "Ah, the victorious Saints emerge, finally," Alex yelled. "It's freezing out here!"

Elliot ran right over to Olivia and picked her up, planting a kiss on her lips. Fin started to walk toward Casey, but stopped when he saw Melinda. He dropped his bag, looked at her, almost dazed, nodded at her and said, "Hey, Mel."

"Hi, Fin," she replied with a sad smile.

Casey linked her arm with Fin's, and he turned to her, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Melinda looked a bit shocked.

"Okay," Elliot said, sensing the rising tension. "If we wanna get there before midnight, we should really head out. I love you all, dearly, but Liv's got shotgun. When we change drivers, then we're taking the backseat," he said smugly.

They walked toward the truck, and Casey ran up to Olivia. "What is up with the new girl and Fin?"

"Oh, uh, they used to date, but she's totally over him," Olivia said, sounding sure.

Casey raised an eyebrow. "He didn't look over her, though."

Alex flicked her cigarette and wrapped an arm around each of her friends. "This is gonna be one hell of a weekend."

* * *

An hour into the drive, they had pulled over so Fin could take Elliot's place behind the wheel. After a round of musical chairs, Elliot and Olivia had snuggled under a blanket in the backseat, Fin was driving with Casey in the passenger seat, and Alex and Melinda were in the middle cabin chairs. The radio was on, tuned to the popular station, and Casey and Alex were singing at the top of their lungs.

Olivia was chuckling into Elliot's chest. "Why am I friends with them?"

"You gotta admit, they're very entertaining," Elliot said, through his own chuckle. "I could think of something much more entertaining though." He pulled her up a bit and brushed her lips with his.

Olivia's breath caught in her throat. He always made her heart stop, no matter how many times he kissed her. "You're crazy," she told him, seeing the look in his eyes.

"Only about you," he retorted, pressing his lips to hers. His hands wound around her waist and were trying to find their way into her pants when they heard a scolding voice from the front of the truck.

"Hey!" Fin yelled, "I can see you guys in the mirror, and I wanna see hands above the blanket!"

Elliot and Olivia, still kissing, both pulled a hand out from under the blanket and gave Fin the finger.

"Now, that's just rude," Fin scolded, shaking his head. He saw them chuckle as they kissed and return their arms to their spots under the blanket. He looked at Casey, then, and said, "You ever been to Lake Danaware?"

"Uh, nope," Casey replied with a smile. "Is that where we're going?"

"Yeah," Fin said, nodding. "We're goin' camping."

Alex leaned forward and her eyes shot open wide. "Camping? In a cabin, right?"

"No, in tents, with sleeping bags," Fin said over his shoulder. "Hey! I can't see your hands, Stabler!"

Melinda turned around for a second, then looked forward at Fin. "They're in there, somewhere, Fin. Those two are in their own world right now."

"Tents?" Alex asked. "Outside, on the ground, with bugs and dirt?"

Fin chuckled. "That's what camping is, Cabot."

* * *

Fin pulled into a dirt parking spot, forty minutes later, and shouted to the car, "We're here!"

Olivia fluttered her eyes open, nuzzled Elliot's neck and said, "Good morning."

Elliot laughed. "We fell asleep, huh?"

"Yeah," Olivia said. "I wonder why." She winked at him and sat up, straightened out her clothes, and slid over, opening the door.

Elliot shook the sleep off and got out, walked around to the trunk and popped it open, lowering the bottom to the flatbed as well. "Fin, since Chester's not here, we've got do most of this ourselves."

Olivia grabbed one of the tents and her bag and looked at Elliot. "No, you don't," she said, smugly.

Elliot shook his head as he grabbed the rest of their stuff. "Liv, I don't expect you to…"

"Shut it, Stabler, and watch me work," she yelled over her shoulder. "Where's this one going?" she asked, holding up the grey tent in her hands.

"Over there, baby," Elliot said, pointing. He walked over to another section to put up the tent he'd be sharing with Olivia, and watched, in amazement, as Olivia handled her tent, almost professionally, and had it up faster than Fin had his.

Fin walked over and looked at Elliot, questioningly. "Man, uh, you and Benson...are you two...have you and Olivia..."

"What? No! No, uh, I mean, eventually, we will. I don't think we're...I wanna make sure were both totally ready and comfortable and she's still adjusting to life without her crazy mother," Elliot explained. "I don't want her to regret it, ya know?"

"I'm only askin' because...I think Casey and I...well, I want to, uh," Fin stuttered. He saw the raised eyebrows he was getting from Elliot and shrugged. "But, Melinda's here. This is a problem."

Elliot unrolled a large sleeping bag and tossed it into the tent, asking, "Why is it a problem? You and Melinda have been over for..."

"I slept with her," Fin said, interrupting. "You never get over that. Not really." He shook his head and walked back to his tent, oblivious to the befuddled look on Elliot's face.

Melinda, Alex and Casey helped as much as they could, setting up the chairs around the fire ring and trying to start one. "Casey," Alex said, tired of watching her fight with two rocks and a stick. "Casey!"

"What?" Casey yelled.

Alex held up her lighter and, annoyed, set the stick on fire and tossed it into the ring. "We are not Cavemen," Alex spat, lighting a cigarette. The girls laughed, then watched the fire roar to life, in awe of the flickering flames.

Olivia walked over to Elliot, wrapped her arms around him and looked around. "We did pretty good," she said. "Which one's ours?"

"That one," he said, gesturing to a large, black tent. "But, I seem to have only brought one large sleeping bag. Whatever shall we do?"

Olivia looked up at the sky, as if thinking, and put a finger on her chin, humming. "I think we can figure something out," she said with a smirk. She laughed as she leaned in to kiss him and just as their lips touched, another car pulled into the space, and Elliot pulled away from Olivia.

"What the fuck is he doing here?" he asked, linking his hand with his girlfriend's.

Joe Stabler got out of his car and walked over to the group. He looked at the three girls around the fire and nodded. "Ladies," he said with a smile. "Elliot, a word?" he called to his son, waving him over.

Elliot pulled Olivia along. "What the hell do you want? How did you even know where I was?"

"I'm a cop, Elliot," he replied, smugly.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "He put an APB out on your truck."

"Smart girl you got there, Elliot. She's a keeper," Joe said, nodding.

"I'm aware," Elliot replied. "What do you want? We're about to go to…"

Joe interrupted him. "I just came to check up on Olivia. That's fallen into my lap, kid. And I'd like to talk to you about something. A little amendment to our agreement."

"You can see, obviously, Liv's fine. As long as she's with me, she will be, so you can stop dropping in to check on her," Elliot proclaimed. "And I don't want to amend…"

"Yes, you do, Elliot. Trust me. Please, a word, alone," Joe said.

Elliot turned to Olivia, kissed her quickly, and stalked off with his father. Alex and Casey ran over to her and watched the conversation from afar.

"What are they talking about?" Casey asked.

Alex huffed. "He probably wants Elliot's kidney or something."

"I'd give him a kidney," Olivia muttered. "We're the same blood type. But, no, he said something about amending…" she paused, and her eyes widened as she watched Elliot interact with Joe. "He's actually hugging his father, that's very strange."

Elliot walked back over to Olivia as Joe got into his car and pulled out, driving away. He pulled her into a deep kiss and nuzzled her nose as he pulled away. Olivia looked into his eyes as he rested his forehead against hers. "What was that…"

"I love you, Liv," Elliot said, cutting her off. "That's all you need to know." He shouted a loud, "Goodnight, guys," to the rest of the group, and pulled Olivia into their tent, leaving everyone wondering what the hell Joe really wanted.

**A/N: Next: Their weekend continues, Elliot tells Olivia what Joe told him, and Fin has a dilemma.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Thank you for the great reviews so far! Now, their weekend begins!**

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and its Characters belong to Dick Wolf. Storyline and dialogue, and original characters, belong to TStabler©**

"Are you sure leaving them out there with a fire, without adult supervision, was such such a good idea?" Olivia asked, changing into her pajamas.

Elliot laughed as he unzipped their sleeping bag so they could slide in. "No, but I'm so exhausted, I don't really care. I think the fire-pit is far enough away from the trees that we don't have to worry about them burning down the forest."

Olivia chuckled, walking over to the sleeping bag. She wormed her way in and flattened herself out, then propped herself up on her elbows to wait for Elliot. "So, aren't you gonna ask me?"

"Ask you…" he trailed off, raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips. He crawled into the sleeping bag and waited for a reply.

"How I learned to put up a tent. Lord knows I've never gone camping with my crazy mother," she said, instantly wrapping her arms around him.

"Okay," Elliot laughed. "How did you learn to put up a tent, my darling?" He kissed her deeply and looked at her, grinning.

Olivia looked up at him and proudly declared, "Tent assembly instructions were part of a non-fiction unit in my third grade English textbook."

"And you remembered…shit, Liv," he said with a chuckle. "You find a way to amaze me, every day."

"Well, it's your turn to amaze me. What the hell did your father say to you that merited a damn hug? You should burn that shirt tomorrow," Olivia said, seriously.

Elliot laughed and pulled her closer. "Oh, my God, you're too much, baby. He, uh, told me that I didn't have to work in homicide with him."

Olivia's face brightened. "You don't have to be cop? That's great! El, I knew…"

"No, baby, I still have to keep my promise to follow in his footsteps. But, he's not making me work with him. He's giving me express permission to go somewhere else. Be whatever kind of cop I want to be," Elliot explained. He looked at her, then, and saw the gleam in her eye. He wouldn't tell her, not yet. He'd wait. He'd surprise her. But the thought running through her head, the wish she was wishing at that moment, was absolutely right. He leaned up and kissed her, smoothed out her hair, and kissed her again. "I love you, Liv," he whispered to her.

She made herself comfortable, wrapped as tightly around him as she could get, and said, "I love you, too, El."

They were asleep in seconds.

Sleep, however, wasn't coming so easy for Casey. She rolled around in her sleeping bag, frustrated and huffing. Fin, in his own sleeping bag a few feet away, was watching her. "Yo, Novak, what's up?" he asked, groggy.

"Nothing," she spat, harshly.

"Hey," he said, irritated. He rolled out of his bag and walked over to her and looked down. "What did I do?"

"You invited your ex-girlfriend, Fin," Casey said with a sigh. "That's what you did."

Fin sighed, himself, and kneeled in front of her. "Case, she's gonna be goin' to…"

"On Monday," Casey said, sitting up. "We could have met her Monday."

"Babe," Fin said, sitting next to her. "Why is this bothering you? She's Olivia's friend, too."

Casey shook her head. "You invited her, not Olivia. I saw the way you were looking at her, Fin. You're still in love with her, you wanted her here for a reason."

"Aw, Case," Fin said, dropping his head. "Listen, babe, Mel and I, there's history. A lot of it. And, when I saw her, a lot of emotion ran through me. But, Case, I'm not in…"

"Are you sure?" Casey asked. "Maybe you should take this weekend, and figure it out. Because, I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you, and if she's gonna be in your classes, with you all the time, when I'm not…" she shook her head, afraid to say it.

Fin wrapped an arm around her and looked into her eyes. "Novak, listen, Mel and I happened, okay? But, it was a long time ago. I'm fallin' in love with you, Casey, and I'm not gonna let Melinda wreck that."

Casey peered up at him, smiled a small smile, and nodded. "Okay," she said softly.

"I promise," Fin told her, sealing it with a kiss. "Now get some sleep. We're gettin' up in a few hours to go hikin'." He made sure she lay back down, kissed her again, and went back to his bag. He crawled in and sighed, sadly. He'd never lied to Casey before.

* * *

"Liv, baby, come on," Elliot said, shaking her. "Get up."

Olivia groaned and rolled over, pouting. Elliot laughed at her and shook her even harder. "Liv, come on, we're going on a hike, and you're not going in your ducky jammies, so get up and get dressed."

"Kiss my ducky jammies," Olivia mumbled, rolling over.

"Fine. Have it your way," Elliot said with a smirk. He bent down, pulled back the sleeping bag, and kissed her stomach, neck and chest, right through the top of her duck-patterned pajamas.

Olivia moaned as she fluttered her eyes open. "What are you doing?"

"Kissing your ducky jammies. You told me to," he said, smirking, as he tilted his head up and captured her lips. "And as adorable as they are, you can not climb a mountain in them." He got a grip on her and pulled her to her feet. "Get dressed."

Olivia rubbed the sleep out of her eys and fell forward, into him. "More sleep," she mumbled.

"Liv, baby," he laughed. "I know it's early, but we wanna get out there, get up on that mountain, look at the view and we're meeting Chester up there. He's setting up a picnic."

"Fine," Olivia said with a pout. "But if you fall off this time and I don't catch you because I was too fucking tired, don't blame me."

Elliot laughed. "I know, it's my fault. I woke you up in the middle of the night," he said with a kiss. "You weren't complaining then."

"I didn't know, then, that we'd be waking up in two hours to climb a damn mountain," she said with a kiss and a chuckle. She changed, not caring that he was watching her, and turned to him. "Happy?"

He stepped closer to her, pulled her into his arms and kissed her. "I'm always happy when I'm with you, Liv." He led her out of their tent and found Melinda and Alex, glaring at each other, Fin awkwardly staring at Melinda while holding Casey's hand, and Casey half asleep on Fin's shoulder.

"She snores," Alex shouted, pointing at Melinda. "Loudly!"

Melinda put her hands on her hips and scoffed. "At least I don't talk in my sleep. Tell, me, Alex. Does your best friend know that you're…"

"Shut up, Warner! I swear to God," Alex threatened, taking a step forward.

Olivia got in between them and put her hands out. "Guys! Woah, people! So, you had a bad night, chill! Get over it! Let's just go, okay? The walk will cool you both off," she said, brushing Alex's shoulder. "Breathe, Cabot."

Alex took a deep breath and shook her head. "Right, Olive. Sorry," she muttered. She looked over at Melinda. "I'm sorry," she said, sighing.

"Yeah," Melinda said. "Me, too."

"Okay, good," Olivia said, heaving a sigh of her own. She stepped back over to Elliot, took his hand, and nodded.

Elliot glanced at Alex suspiciously, then looked at Fin. "Hey, man. You ready?"

"Oh! Uh, yeah." Fin shrugged Casey off his shoulder and said, "We're goin', kid."

Elliot led the group out and up a hill, and toward a dirt path. He pointed to a large, foreboding rock formation in front of them and said, "Think you guys can make it?"

"Oh, hell yes," Olivia said, with a fierceness in her voice.

"I know you can, Liv, you've done it already," Elliot said, laughing. "Fin? Casey?"

"Uh," Fin paused, "Yeah. No sweat."

Casey clutched his hand. "I'll do it if you do it," she said to Fin. "Alex? You with me, Cabot?"

"Psh, that's nothing, girl. I got this," Alex said, trying to sound convincing. "What about you, Warner?"

"Oh, uh, yeah. Sure. Onward and upward, as they say," Melinda said, a tremble in her voice.

Alex turned to her and questioned, "Who says that?"

Melinda smirked and tilted her head. "You know, um, them."

The group laughed and Elliot, holding Olivia's hand, guided the group toward the rocky structure. "Okay," he said. "There are hand and foot holds built in to the side of this thing for the more adventurous climber, but if you'd rather hike it, there's a path right there."

Olivia was already climbing, scaling the mountain with the holds, peering down at Elliot. "What did you say?" she shouted.

"I wasn't talking to you, baby," Elliot shouted back up to her, chuckling. He grabbed a hand-hold and hoisted himself up, taking a step up to a foot-hold and turned. "Which way are you guys going?"

"I'm following Olive," Alex said, grabbing the nearest red brick. She started climbing, surprising everyone by doing well. "Novak, get your ass up here," she yelled down to Casey.

Olivia looked down and smiled. "Hey, guys! Stabler! Come on, are you really gonna let me kick your ass at this? I'll wait," she said, staying still.

Casey started to climb, then looked over at Fin. "You coming?"

"Um, Melinda's afraid of heights, she wants to walk. I can't let her go alone," he mumbled, knowing Casey would take it the wrong way. Or the right way. "Why don't you walk with us?"

Alex called down to her, then. "Novak, I'm not kidding. I will seriously kick your ass if I do this and you don't!"

Casey took another step up, pulling herself by the hand-hold and spat, "Fine, Fin. Go. I'll meet you at the top."

Fin sighed and cried, "Casey, nothing is gonna…"

"Just go, Fin," Casey yelled, now a few feet above him. "Have fun with her."

Elliot had flown passed Alex and caught up to Olivia, looked down at the girls below them and then over at his girlfriend. "You got some brave friends."

"Yeah," Olivia said, nodding. "And you have a very stupid one. What is he doing?"

Elliot shook his head. "Liv, he's confused. Seeing Melinda brought up a lot of old feelings…"

Olivia cut him off and narrowed her eyes. "So, if Kathy showed up…"

"No! No way in hell, Liv. That's different," Elliot said, sternly. "I wasn't in love with Kathy, I was in love with you the whole time. And I didn't sleep with…shit." His head dropped against the mountain, knowing he said something he shouldn't have.

Olivia's eyes widened. "Fin and Melinda…"

"Yeah," Elliot interrupted. "Don't tell him I told you, don't even let on that you know, and do not, for the love of all that is good and holy, do not tell Casey."

Olivia shook her head. "I don't plan on it, El. I'm staying out of their love-lives," she said. "I like mine way too much to lose it because I got involved with theirs." She started climbing again, knowing he'd follow.

"What does that mean?" Elliot asked, staying right next to her.

"It means," she huffed, nearing the top of the mountain, "That if we get in the middle of their shit, and it goes wrong, they're gonna want us to take sides. I will, of course, take Casey's. You'll take Fin's. Then we'll fight because they're fighting."

Elliot chuckled. "You have a good point, baby," he said, pushing Olivia's butt as she crawled up over the top. "But you're wrong."

"How am I wrong?" she asked, grabbing his hand and pulling him up to join her at the top of the mountain.

Elliot wrapped his arm around her and situated himself, with her on his lap, overlooking the forest from the edge of the cliff. "I wouldn't take Fin's side. I think he was an idiot to sleep with Melinda. they weren't together very long when it happened, and I think he's an even bigger idiot for inviting her on this trip. he wanted to be with Casey this weekend. It was supposed to be a couple's thing. I'm on Casey's side, Liv." He cupped her chin, and turned her face toward his. "Even if I wasn't, we've fought like hell before, and we've survived."

"We weren't dating, then." Olivia smirked, nuzzled his nose, and kissed him sweetly.

"Liv," Elliot said, kissing her again, "I think we've proven that we could get through anything together." He leaned in for a deeper kiss. They had just wrapped themselves up in a hot and heavy kiss when a hand reached up and grabbed Olivia's leg.

Olivia jumped and laughed. "Damn, Cabot," she muttered. She and Elliot pulled Alex and Casey up to the top of the mountain and brushed them off. "I'm proud of you, guys," Olivia said, smiling.

"Thanks, Benson," Alex said, immediately lighting up a cigarette.

Casey chuckled. "Cabot, you just climbed a mountain!"

"Yeah, I proved I was too damn healthy," Alex said, blowing a smoke ring. "Hey! Lake!" Alex shouted at Chester, who was laying out food and plates on a large blanket.

"Hey, Cabot" Chester called. "Gimme a hand with this, babe," he said, holding up the basket.

Alex smiled and ran over to help him. "Hey, Novak, come set the table!"

"Okay, Mom," Casey said, sarcastically, rolling her eyes. She glanced at Olivia and Elliot, then walked over to help Alex and Chester.

Olivia tugged on Elliot to go help, too, but Elliot stopped her. "Wait," he said. He pulled her over to the side of the clearing. "Do you hear that?" he whispered. "It sounds like Fin," he said, softly. He pulled Olivia closer to him and they walked to the where the hiking trail met the clearing. Elliot's eyes widened and he gasped. Olivia's hand shot to her mouth and she squeezed Elliot's hand tighter. "I'm not seeing this," she whispered to him, turning around.

"I am," Elliot said. "Hey, Fin! You should probably break up with Casey if you're gonna be making out with Melinda all weekend."

Fin and Melinda pulled apart and looked up at the two shocked and angry faces of their friends, suddenly feeling very guilty, and very alone.

**A/N: What?! What will Casey do? What will Fin do? What will the next two days and the ride home be like? Oh, what a weekend!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: The rest of their weekend is bit…awkward. So much for a fun couple's retreat! **

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and its Characters belong to Dick Wolf. Storyline and dialogue, and narrative belong to TStabler©**

Fin sat as far away from Melinda as possible, on the blanket, and Casey, oblivious to his disloyalty, sat right next to him. Olivia sat in the corner, with Elliot wrapped around her. Alex sat next to Chester, trying to look past the fact that he kissed like a poodle and see him for the great guy he was. Melinda, feeling horrible for what she had done, stayed quiet and sat in her own corner.

"My arms are killing me," Alex griped, her cigarette hanging out of the corner of her mouth.

Casey leaned on Fin and nodded. "I can't feel my legs," she mumbled.

"How out of shape are you guys?" Olivia asked, eating one of the sandwiches that Chester had brought.

Elliot laughed and whispered to her, "Hey, there have been moments where you couldn't feel your legs."

"Completely different," she spat back in a harsh, laughing whisper.

He chuckled and kissed her and her closer. "Yeah, you weren't climbing a mountain. In fact, you weren't really doing much of anything," he said, nuzzling her nose and wagging his eyebrows.

"Oh, I was doing something," Olivia quipped, kissing him with a smirk and narrowed eyes.

"Excuse me," Alex said, "But when's the wedding?"

Olivia and Elliot stopped kissing and looked at her, wide-eyed. "What?" Olivia asked.

Alex laughed. "You two are so damn sickening, just go to Vegas or something. You're both fucking legal, you don't need parental consent because, well, you don't have parents," she said, blowing smoke into the fresh mountain air. "You'll be better off that way, and you'll make me less nauseous."

Olivia threw the rest of her sandwich at Alex, hitting her in the face, and the group had a good laugh. Casey looked up at Fin, then, and smiled. He peered down at her and his heart broke. He knew he'd hurt her. He didn't think he still had feelings for Melinda, but he did think he was falling in love with Casey. He was a very confused young man. "I'm gonna start walkin' back down," he said. "Case, come with me?"

Casey nodded and rose to her feet, taking his hand. Olivia and Elliot eyed him, suspiciously, and watched his head drop. He gave them a sorry look, and tugged Casey along. Melinda watched them, too, with a nervous expression. She knew that Fin was going to tell her what had happened, and she knew she'd be losing a friend before she had the chance to make one.

Chester and Alex, with Melinda's help, packed up the food and folded the blanket. They started heading down the trail, and Alex called back to Elliot and Olivia. "You guys coming?"

"We'll, uh, be right there," Elliot yelled back. He watched the three of them start walking and turned to Olivia. "How adventurous are you feeling right now?"

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "What are you getting at, Stabler?"

"Wanna beat them down?" he asked, looking out over the cliff.

"Are you nuts?" she asked, raising both eyebrows. "Climbing up without a rope is fine, but going back down is…"

Before she finished her sentence, Elliot held up a backpack and a coil of yellow rappelling rope. "A whole lot of fun if your boyfriend asked his friend Chester to bring his climbing equipment," he said, completing her thought. He saw her eyes light up and he smiled, laughing. He pulled her into a kiss and said, very quietly, "I'll race ya."

* * *

When they reached the bottom of the mountain, they were met by Melinda, Alex and Chester. They walked back to their campsite and heard shouting. A lot of it. They were all stunned to see Casey slap Fin, very hard across the face, and run into Elliot's truck.

Elliot rolled his eyes. "Oh, here we go," he said. He walked over to his truck, knocked on the window and signaled Casey to roll it down.

Casey shook her head, refusing to roll down the window. "What?" she yelled through the glass.

"Get out of my truck!" Elliot yelled.

Casey rolled down the window, finally. "Take me home, Stabler," Casey said, quietly, wiping away tears.

"Aw, Case," Elliot said, softly. "Honey, I know he hurt you, but can you try to have fun with the girls? Just ignore…"

"No," Casey said. "I really just want to go home."

Olivia walked over, wrapped an arm around Elliot and leaned into the window. "Hey, Novak. Listen. I'm gonna kick Fin's ass for you, and then we're gonna kick Melinda out of Alex's tent. It'll just be you and me and Alex, okay? Chester can stay with Elliot for the night…"

"No, Benson, you shouldn't have to…" she paused, looked up at Olivia and gave her a sad smile. "Stabler's not so bad, he can hang out with the girls tonight," Casey said, chuckling lightly and opening the door. She threw her arms around Olivia and sobbed lightly into her shoulder. "I really thought I loved him," she cried.

Olivia stroked back Casey's hair while looking sadly at Elliot. "I know you did, Case," she said. She jerked her head toward the tents, telling Elliot to rearrange things, and then sent a harsh glare at Fin.

Elliot wandered over and smacked Fin in the head. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he asked, yelling in whisper.

"Man, please," Fin yelled, waving his arm defensively. "I had to tell her. I felt guilty as shit. I told her it didn't mean anything, that I only kissed her to see if there was anything still there."

"And?" Elliot asked, folding his arms. "Was there?"

"I don't know. I don't think so," Fin said, looking away. "But, I really have feelings for Casey and I would give anything to take back what I did."

"You can't take it back," Elliot said, shaking his head. "But you can fix it. Tell Melinda the truth, tell her to back off, and tell her to talk to Casey." He wandered off to rearrange the tents, thankful that Chester had brought an extra one and was setting it up now.

* * *

The fire was roaring, and the marshmallows were toasting. Chester had one arm around Alex and the other halfway into the pit, burning a gooey treat to blackness. Elliot, in his usual position behind Olivia, had her hands in his as they both held on to their roasting stick. Casey was next to them, trying to ignore Fin. Melinda was on the other side of them, also trying to ignore Fin. Fin sat, awkwardly, between Chester and Melinda, unsure of what to do, where to look, or what to say.

"Okay," Alex said. "Stabler, truth or dare?"

"Truth," Elliot said, lifting the stick and toasted marshmallow out of the fire. He blew on it and offered it to Olivia, who bit it and then offered it to him.

Alex chuckled at their behavior and asked, "What's the real story with you and your father? Why'd you leave home?"

Elliot stopped chewing and stared at Alex. He waited a full beat, looked down at Olivia, back up at Alex and said, "Dare."

"I dare you to tell us," Alex said, swiftly, lighting a cigarette. "He can't be as bad as Benson's mom. We won't judge, or run away. Stabler, we're your friends, now," she said. "After what you did for Olive, you're like my favorite person."

"Why does it matter?" he asked, his tone suddenly harsh.

Olivia leaned back into his arms and pulled his arms around her tighter. "El, calm down," she whispered to him. "They don't need to meet The Hulk. Not yet," she told him.

Elliot took a deep breath. "He's worse than Liv's mom. He doesn't drink, he's just violent. Little things set him off. Oh, he, uh, he tried to kill me once." He looked up, finally, and saw the stone-faced, silent people looking at him. "My turn, right? Fin, truth or dare?"

"Uh," Fin, who was in a daze up until that point, looked at Elliot. "Truth."

Elliot smirked. "Why did you kiss Melinda?"

Before Fin could answer, Melinda spoke. "I kissed him, Elliot. It was stupid, I know. But, seeing him, knowing he was with Casey, I got a little jealous. I knew we'd be going to school together, and I knew it would be awkward if there were still feelings between us. I kissed him to make sure there weren't. And Casey," she said, looking at the strawberry-blonde. "There aren't. I swear. Don't blame him for this. I'm truly sorry."

Casey looked at Melinda and smiled, awkwardly. "Thank you, Melinda, for telling me that." She looked at Fin, who looked shocked and a bit relieved. "I'm sorry I hit you," she mumbled.

"I,uh, I deserved it," he said. He looked at her, his eyes pointed upward like a sad puppy. "Forgive me?"

Casey didn't say anything, she simply leaned her head onto his shoulder.

Fin breathed a sigh of relief and wrapped his arms around her, sending a thankful look at Elliot. Elliot nodded and said, smugly, "Your turn."

"Hold on," Alex said, flicking her cigarette into the fire. "That's it? Fin kisses the new girl, deeply wounding one of our best friends and because she says 'I'm sorry,' it all goes away? Novak, how do you know he's not gonna do it again, huh? How do you know that once we're at school, when they're in class without you, that they're not gonna fool around behind your back?"

Melinda shot up off of her tree stump. "Okay, Alex," she shouted. "What the hell? I apologized. I said there weren't any feelings left between me and Fin. I never meant to hurt anyone, and Fin truly loves Casey. He told me he does."

Casey's eyes widened, she looked up at Fin and smiled. He nodded at her, and smiled back. For a moment, they had forgotten that two people were fighting in front of them.

"That may be true," Alex said, rising off of her log now. "But, Fin is the only one here who really knows you well enough to trust you. Olive only knows you from her extensive hospital stays, and Elliot only knows you from his second-hand information from Fin. We don't really trust you, yet. If you loved him once, you might just…"

"Would you?" Melinda asked.

Alex's eyes widened and she choked a little. "I'm sorry?"

Melinda folded her arms and shook her head. "I like you all, a lot. I'm thrilled to death to be a part of such a close group, so I would never hurt Casey, or Fin, by coming between them again. Olivia's your best friend. You would never go after Elliot, even though you like him, would you?"

Olivia's mouth dropped. Elliot's eyes widened and his chin dropped, absently, to Olivia's shoulder. Chester looked up at Alex with a furrowed brow and folded his arms. Casey and Fin snapped out of their trance and stared at her. Alex, herself, heaved a sigh and did the only thing she could do. She answered the question.

"Of course not," she said. "I'd never do that to Olive. Besides, Elliot's so in love with her, he'd never even look at another girl."

Melinda shrugged her shoulders. "So why would you assume I would?"

Alex nodded, sitting back down. "You're right," she said. "I'm sorry, Melinda. I'm just…very protective of my friends."

"You're gonna make one hell of a lawyer, Cabot," Fin spat.

The friends laughed, but they all knew that something had just shifted. The dynamic had changed and the questions that would go unasked, the conversation that would be left unspoken, would cause a silent but deadly rift. Eventually.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Elliot asked, wrapping his arms around Olivia. Everyone had gone to bed and she was still sitting by the smoking embers of the fire, staring up into the night sky.

Olivia shrugged. "Just watching the stars," she said. "They're beautiful."

"They're okay," Elliot said. "I've got real beauty right here, in my arms." He kissed her neck and pulled her closer. "I love you, baby," he whispered to her.

"I love you, too, El," she whispered back, leaning into his kiss.

Elliot nuzzled her neck and sighed. "What are you thinking about, out here?"

"About how Alex has a crush on you," Olivia said, tilting her head back to meet his.

He kissed her on the lips and chuckled. "A lot of girls do, Liv. I can name five guys that have a thing for you, too." He kissed her again, longer and deeper. "Alex was right, though, baby. I'm so in love with you, that I can't even look at another girl and think of her as anything more than a pal. You've got nothing to worry about. There's only you, Liv."

"I know that," Olivia said, confidently. "I don't doubt you, El." She turned herself around and wrapped her arms around him. "For the first time in my life, I know I'm loved. I know what we have is real, and I know it's not going anywhere. At least, not for the rest of this year," she said with a sigh.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, tilting his head. "You think that just because we're gonna be apart…"

Olivia cut him off. "I don't wanna talk about that right now. I don't even wanna think about what's gonna happen when you go off to join the Marine's," she said, nuzzling into his chest. "We've got here, and we've got now."

"We do," Elliot said, running his hands through her hair. "But, Liv, I promise you. Somehow, we're gonna have forever."

He walked her back to their tent, after re-rearranging the sleeping bags they had their tent back, and pulled her into a warm snuggle in their bag. As they cuddled close and drifted off to sleep, dreaming of ways to keep that promise, they remained blissfully unaware of the tragedy that would strike tomorrow, that would almost rip forever away from them.

**A/N: Oh no! What?! Review if you want to know! **


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: What happens that **_**almost**_** rips their 'forever' away? Read on... **

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and its Characters belong to Dick Wolf. Storyline and dialogue, and narrative belong to TStabler©**

They had all woken up on Sunday morning, groggy and grumpy, except for Elliot and Olivia. They woke up happy. They always woke up happy. Chester walked into their tent, unannounced and uninvited, and shouted, "yo! I'm heading into town. We need breakfast food."

Elliot, ever the gentleman, shook his head. "You just got here, man. Stay. Spend some time with Alex."

"She has the hots for you," he retorted. "I'd just be wasting my time."

Elliot sighed. "Spend some wasted time with her then. Change her mind," he said. "For the love of God," he added with a laugh. "I'll go. I have to put gas in the truck before we head home anyway."

"You know I'm going with you," Olivia said, pulling on one of Elliot's sweatshirts.

Elliot laughed. "I didn't think otherwise, baby." The trio left the tent and asked the other groggy, grumpy campers if they needed anything. After taking down orders, Elliot and Olivia got into the silver truck and took off.

Chester sighed and walked toward Alex, who looked up at him nervously. She wiped the remains of sleep out of her eyes and tilted her head. "Look," she said. "What Melinda said last night..."

"It's okay," Chester said. "You can't help liking him. As long as you know you can't act on it without five people kicking your ass, you're okay." He smirked at her and she laughed a little.

"Lake," Alex began, "I like you, too. You're a great guy. Maybe, if we spent a little time alone together..."

"Say no more," Chester said, cutting her off. "Come take a walk with me."

Alex took his hand and they walked into the woods, as Melinda, Fin and Casey looked on. Fin, holding Casey's hand, looked toward Melinda and sighed. "Hey, Mel, I'm sorry about this weekend. I didn't mean for you to become..."

"The seventh wheel? It's cool," Melinda said, smiling. "When it wasn't awkward it was actually a lot of fun. I think I'm really gonna like being at Saint Mary's."

Casey smiled softly at her. "We're glad to have you," she said. "If Benson thinks you're good people, then you must be good people." The three of them laughed, forgetting the trouble of the past day, and began to build the fire in preparation for the breakfast Elliot and Olivia would be bringing back.

* * *

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" Olivia asked, smirking.

Elliot shook his head. "Nope," he said with a laugh. "But I don't mind getting lost with you." He took his eyes off of the road, only for a second, to smile at her, and that's when the truck careened into their lane and barreled into their truck. It was a hard slam, right into the side of the flatbed, and Elliot gripped the wheel and turned as fast as he could, then he hit the breaks, but it was all in vain. They were pushed too hard and they had slid into the divider, crashing completely through it. The truck came to a stop, as it teetered perilously over the edge of the mountain road. "Holy shit," Elliot cried, breathing heavily, scared shitless. "Liv, baby! Are you okay?"

"I'd be a lot better if we weren't hanging off of a cliff," she said. "But, I'm fine." She looked over at Elliot and reached for his hand, and they felt the truck rock. "Okay," she said, suddenly statue-still. "Moving is a bad idea."

Elliot took a deep breath. "We're gonna be okay, baby. I promise," he told her. He heard sirens in the distance and figured another motorist or the truck-driver had called the cops. He craned his head back and looked towrad the back of the truck. He looked back at Olivia and said, "On the count of three, we have to jet to the back seat."

Olivia's eyes widened and she shook her head. "El, if we move, the truck will drop."

"And if we _don't_ we'll still be in the truck when it does. Trust me, baby," he said, holding out his hand. She took it, clutching it tightly, and he squeezed his eyes shut. "One," he said. They both moved to get out of the seats and the truck wobbled. Elliot's stomach flipped. "Fuck...two," he said, opening his eyes and gazing into hers, squeezing her hand. "I love you, Olivia." He used her full name. He only did that when they fought, or when he thought they'd never see each other again. Great.

"I love you, too, Elliot," Olivia said, squeezing his hand as hard as she could. They reared back in their seats, turned their heads toward their destination, and took a deep breath.

Elliot had his eyes wide open as he said, on a gasp, "Three."

* * *

"Guys," Casey said, picking her head up off of Fin's shoulder. "Do you hear sirens?"

Fin held still and concentrated for a moment. "Yeah, I do," he said as he looked around to see where they were coming from. "Oh, shit! Look!" He pointed to a break in the trees, through which you could see the other side of the lake. Elliot's truck was dangling over the edge, wobbling, threatening to fall into the rocky water below. "Oh, my God!"

"Chester! Alex! Guys!" Melinda yelled, panicking. "We gotta go! Now! Chester, we need your keys!" she yelled, as Alex and Chester ran toward the shouting.

Casey, Fin and Melinda began jumping wildly and pointing across the lake, yelling over each other. Suddenly, Chester's eyes went wide.

"Holy Mary Mother of God," he said, "They're..."

Alex's hand shot to her mouth. "No, God, no! Get in the damn car!"

The five scared friends got into Chester's car and drove toward the other side of the mountain, where, as they'd just watched, Elliot's truck had fallen off of the cliff.

* * *

The police cars came to a screeching halt, and several officers got out and ran to the young man sprawled out on the ground. One officer knelt down and helped him sit up. "Kid, hey! Kid, are you all right?"

"I...I think...no, I'm not! Where's Liv?" Elliot said, rubbing his shoulder where it had hit the pavement. "Liv!" he yelled, suddenly getting to his feet.

"Who?" the cop, still next to him, asked.

"My girlfriend! She was in the truck! We were climbing out of the flatbed when it went over," Elliot explained. "I had her, I was holding her hand, I promised I wouldn't let her go! I promised we'd be okay! Both of us!" Elliot ran over to the side of the cliff and looked down, and all he saw was the crushed remains of his silver pickup. "Liv!" he yelled, his voice breaking, as a tear rolled down his cheek.

Chester's car pulled up, also stopping on a dime with a shriek. The others got out and ran to Elliot.

"Where's Olive?" Alex asked, hyperventilating with a cigarette in her mouth.

"Olivia!" Fin yelled. "Come on, Baby-Girl, answer me!"

Casey, crying, yelled, "Benson! You are way too bad-ass to die this way!"

"God, Liv, baby! You can't leave me like this," Elliot yelled, crying.

Suddenly, they heard a thump and a clap, and they all looked down, toward the noise. They saw a delicate yet powerful hand hit the rocky road. "I'm not," a familiar voice said. Her other hand reached up and hit the pavement, and then they saw two elbows. And as she pushed herself up, she said, "You know I always have to do things the hard way." Olivia rolled out flat onto the street, collapsing onto her back.

Elliot ran over to her and picked her up in his arms, crushing her lips in a heart-wrenching kiss. The emotional display spurred more tears from Alex and Casey. Fin let a tear fall, and even Melinda was weepy. Chester closed his tightly, afraid for what could have been, so he missed it.

"Liv," Elliot said. "Don't you ever scare me like that again!" He slanted his lips over hers again and held her close, unashamed of his falling tears.

Olivia closed her eyes as she held him tight. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"No, no, don't," Elliot said, kissing her again. "What happened? Why weren't you with me?"

"My shoe got caught in the seatbelt when we climbed out. I kicked it off and grabbed on to the first rock I saw as the truck went over," she explained. "See, I have this friend, no, this, uh, this soul-mate really, who makes me climb mountains with him. Good thing, huh?"

Elliot smiled and laughed through his tears, kissed her again, and then brought them both to their feet. He turned to the cop and said, "I found her."

"I see that," said the officer with a warm smile. "I'm glad you're both okay. You should know, the driver of the truck who hit you is drunk. I'm not sure what you'd like to do, but if you want to fill out a report, you can get his insurance, or file a lawsuit, to reimburse you for the value of your truck."

Elliot nodded. "Yeah, we'll, uh, come down to the station. Thank you, Officer..."

"Cragen. Donald Cragen. I won't be there though," he said to them. "I was only here to confer with the chief out here. I'm a city cop." He looked at the two teens and smiled. Something told him he would see them again, and he smiled and waved as he drove away.

Chester's car was now a packed pickle jar, Olivia had to sit on Elliot's lap, as they drove down to the local station to file the complaint. Once they'd finished, they drove all the way back to their campsite. As they got out of the car, the gravity of the situation hit them. They were quiet and tense as they looked at each other, silently begging for someone to speak first.

"Well," Chester said, slapping Elliot on the back. "You said you wanted a new truck, right?"

That did it. Elliot broke into tension-relieving laughter, Olivia followed. Alex and Casey pulled them both into a huge hug, laughing in relief as well. Fin and Melinda chuckled, grateful that their friends had gotten out of that horrible situation alive.

"Hey," Alex said, lighting another cigarette. "How the fuck are we all getting home?"

Elliot pulled out his cell phone, from his jeans pocket, and looked down at it. "I really don't want to do this," he griped as he pushed a sequence of familiar buttons. "Hi, Mister Malone? It's Elliot. Stabler. I really hate to bother you, but do you think you can do me a very big favor?"

**A/N: What? What does Kathy's dad say? Does he help them? Oh, boy**!


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Why did he call Kathy's dad? Read on! Review if you'd like! **

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and its Characters belong to Dick Wolf. Storyline and dialogue, and narrative belong to TStabler©**

The kids packed up all of their things and waited for Mr. Malone to arrive. He was the only other person Elliot knew with a truck who would be willing to drive out to the mountains to help him. Mr. Malone had always liked Elliot, treated him like his own son, and swore that if anything happened between Elliot and Kathy, he'd still be there for Elliot. As soon as Elliot explained what had happened, Mr. Malone told him he would be there in a flash.

"I still don't feel right about this," Olivia said. "We were planning to blackmail his daughter!"

"But someone else did it for us, Liv," Elliot said. "It wasn't us, was it? Besides, we're not asking Kathy for help, we're asking her father. He, for some reason, still likes me."

Olivia smirked at Elliot. "How could he not?" she asked, leaning in to kiss him.

Chester yawned. "It's getting late, man. Where is this guy?"

"Why don't you take Alex and whoever and go then?" Elliot asked, pulling Olivia closer to him. "We can't all fit in your car with all of this shit, so we've gotta wait for someone, anyway."

Chester shook his head. "Nah, I'm lucky I got up here in one piece, I'd rather follow you home. I'm just tired and cranky."

Alex rubbed his shoulder. "We all are," she said, flicking a cigarette with her other hand. "Well, most of us. There are two people here who seem incapable of being cranky at the moment." She gestured to Fin and Casey, who were leaning up against Chester's car, kissing, oblivious to the rest of the world.

Melinda, surprising everyone, said, "Leave 'em alone, Alex. They're kind of cute."

"If that's cute, then you must think Benson and Stabler are goddamn adorable," Alex spat with a puff of her cigarette.

"I do, actually," Melinda said, smiling at Olivia.

Olivia nuzzled into Elliot and smiled back at her. "Thanks, Mel. Cabot, call us adorable again and we'll both kick your ass, but thank you," she said with a wink.

They heard a loud honking and saw the truck pull into the clearing. Mr. Malone got out and ran over to Elliot, pulling him into a fatherly hug. "Are you okay?" he asked. Elliot nodded and Frank sighed. He turned to Olivia and grabbed her by the arms, looking her up and down for injury. "Sweetie, are you hurt? At all, anywhere?"

"No," Olivia said, unsure of why he even cared. "No, sir, I'm fine."

"Sir? None of that, my dear. Anyone as important to Elliot as you are deserves to call me Frank," Mr. Malone told her, still turning her in all directions to check for signs of needed medical attention.

"Okay, uh, Frank, I promise, I'm fine. Thank you," Olivia said sweetly.

Frank smiled at her, and then looked at Elliot. "She is very beautiful, Elliot. And good-hearted, I can tell." Frank slapped Elliot on the shoulder and started to grab their stuff.

"Um, El?" Olivia had noticed someone else in the truck, and wasn't very happy about it. "He didn't come alone."

"Well," Elliot said, kissing Olivia soundly on the lips, "She's not gonna bother me. She gonna bother you?"

Olivia smiled up at him and shook her head. "Keep kissing me like that and she can move in with us for all I care."

"I wouldn't go that far," Elliot said, winking at her. He tilted his head and smirked. "Did I just make you giggle? Olivia Benson, did you just fucking giggle?"

Olivia shrugged and grabbed her duffle bag. "You make me giggle, El. You make me giggle, and blush and do all sorts of things that I'm not supposed to do," she said, shaking her head. They followed Frank to his truck, put their things in the flatbed, and got in. Melinda rode with them, Fin and Casey rode back with Chester and Alex, and they were on the road in no time.

"Hey, Elliot," Kathy said as he got into the back with Olivia. "I'm so glad you're okay! I was so worried about you." She looked to the back and batted her eyes, smiling brightly at him.

Elliot simply nodded, said, "Thanks," and pulled Olivia toward him. He kissed her on the forehead and cuddled up with her, deciding to sleep through the ride rather than deal with Kathy. "Oh," he said, before drifting off. "Thanks for this, Frank. I really…"

"No thanks is necessary, kid. You're like a son to me, and I hope Olivia knows that, as long as she's with you, she's gonna be like a daughter," Frank Malone said, looking at Elliot through the rear-view mirror. He didn't notice the evil glare that his real daughter was giving them, though. Elliot did, and he chuckled. He thought the whole thing was rather funny.

* * *

"Thanks again, Frank," Olivia said as she got her bag out of the back.

"Olivia," Frank said, "You're very welcome. Anytime you two need anything, don't hesitate to call." He got back into his truck and drove off, with his very pregnant daughter in tow.

Olivia turned to Elliot and, as they plodded into the apartment they now shared, she said, "That was interesting."

"Yeah," Elliot said. "As soon as we dropped Melinda off, Kathy wasted no time talking about how happy she was with Brian and how her baby was the best thing that ever happened to her. She was trying to make us jealous."

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "Did it work?"

"Honey," he said, opening the door, "I was only ever jealous of Brian Cassidy when he was with you."

Olivia chuckled. "I was only jealous of Kathy because she was with you," she said with a shrug. "So, that's a big no."

"Huge," Elliot said, kicking his door shut. He walked over to his answering machine and hit the blinking button. After two messages from his father, there was a message from some general asking to meet with Elliot regarding his enrollment in the Marine Corps. The room instantly got ten degrees colder, and the tension level rose incredibly. Elliot let the message play, wrote down the time and date of his meeting and then looked at Olivia, who looked as if she'd just lost her best friend. He walked over to her and wrapped his strong arms around her. "Hey, baby, it's gonna be okay," he whispered into her hair as he placed a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

"We almost died today, El," she said, suddenly realizing what had really happened. "I was in the truck. If I didn't jump, if I didn't know how to climb…and now that call…fuck," she paused and pulled him tighter. "It just reminded me that as much as we want it, we don't really have forever. Face it, El," she cried, burying her head into his chest.

"Liv," he said, shocked. "Look at me." He tiled her chin up and looked into her eyes. "You got out of that truck, and you knew how to climb, and I'm not planning on dying in the Corps, or anytime soon after that, and I'm planning on letting you go," he said, sternly. "If there's one thing watching that truck go over that cliff made me realize, Liv, it's that I can't live without you, and I don't plan on doing it."

Olivia's eyes widened. "We're in high school, Elliot, how could you…"

"I do," Elliot said, wiping the tear that had fallen down her cheek. "I do know it, and you know it, too. Don't you?"

Olivia nodded. "Yeah. That's what's so scary. That's what makes me wanna run. Fast and far and as soon as possible," she said with a soft chuckle.

"If you think I'm gonna let you do that, ever, you're crazy. You're stuck with me, Liv. Forever," Elliot said, kissing her passionately.

Olivia still had doubts, but she would soon realize that Elliot was right. Absolutely right.

* * *

Chester had dropped off Casey and Fin walked her to her door. "So, uh, I know we've had a rough go of things," he said. "I don't want you to think that I don't…this is hard," he paused and took a breath. "Case, I think I love you."

"Oh, Fin," Casey cried, throwing her arms around him. "I've wanted to hear you say that for a while, now. I think I love you, too." She pulled back from their hug and looked into his eyes. Just as they were about to kiss, her front door swung open and her father stood, menacingly, in front of them.

"Casey, what is going on out here?" he asked. "Who is this?"

Casey's heart stopped. "Um, Daddy, this is Odafin Tutuola. Um, Fin," she said.

"Well, say goodbye and get in here," her father scolded. "Now!"

They waited to see if he would go away and give them some privacy, but when it became clear that he wouldn't, they simply hugged quickly and Fin left. Casey pulled her bag inside and looked at her father, wide-eyed. "Daddy, that was so embarrassing! Why would you…"

"How dare you think that I would approve of you seeing that boy, Casey?" her father yelled. "You're more than welcome to have him as a friend, but you are not, under any circumstances, to date him."

"What?" Casey screamed. "Why not? He's a great guy!"

"He's not…good enough for you, Casey!" her father boomed. He folded his arms and looked at his daughter. "What kind of name is Odafin anyway? He's clearly not Catholic, or…"

Casey interrupted, knowing why her father was having this reaction. "White?"

Her father's eyes went wide. "Cassandra Novak, you know that…"

"Dad, you don't even know him. You're making a huge mistake. You can't stop me from seeing him," she spat as she ran up the stairs.

Casey's father ran to the steps and shouted up to her, "We'll see about that young lady!"

* * *

Once they got back to their house and into the living room, Kathy and Frank started yelling at each other. "How could you, Daddy?" Kathy asked, screaming.

"How could I what, Kathy? I wasn't just going to leave them out there! He asked me for a favor, do you know how hard that was for him?" Frank asked, raising his eyebrows.

"No," Kathy said, "I meant, how could you be so nice to…her?" She folded her arms over her little bump and glared at him.

Frank sighed and shook his head. "Olivia is a very sweet girl, Kathy. She needed Elliot and she needed me, she almost died today," he said, concerned.

"It's too bad she didn't!" Kathy spat.

"Kathy!" Frank boomed. "You will not speak ill of her in this house. She is important to Elliot and you should respect that! He's important to us, isn't he? You screwed up, Kathy. You cheated on him, and he knew about it. Maybe if you would have been…"

"Daddy," Kathy said. "He was in love with that horrible girl the entire time, so it would not have mattered! I hate her!"

Frank shook his head. "I didn't raise you like this, Kathy. You are not the girl I thought you were. Go upstairs and spend some time with your fiancée, Kathy. In two weeks…"

"I know," Kathy said, rolling her eyes. "I know." She climbed the stairs and stormed into her room, where Brian was waiting for her, sprawled out on the bed watching TV.

"Hey," he said, not taking his eyes off of the screen. "Did you have a nice time watching Stabler ignore you?"

Kathy hit him in the arm. "Shut up."

"Look," Brian said. "My father's pissed off at me, but I'm doing the right thing here. I'm trying to…accept this, and own up to what I did. Can we try to make this work?" he asked, looking up at the blonde standing over the bed.

Kathy sat down and sighed. "You really want to be married with a baby at eighteen?"

"I don't have a choice, Kathy," Brian said. "I want to be there for this kid, and you, because it's my responsibility. I know we were only together hoping to get Olivia and Elliot back, but this could be something better."

"Brian, there's something you should know," Kathy said, sighing. She looked up into his eyes and she was going to tell him the truth. When she saw the light in his eyes, the hint of possible love and hope that was shining in them, she changed her mind. She smiled and said, "I think you're right."

Brian smiled and kissed her, relieved. "Good. Because, we really didn't have a choice did we?" he asked with a laugh.

They did. Kathy just chose to keep that fact to herself.

* * *

Elliot woke up in the middle of the night, rolling over only to find that Olivia was no longer in the bed. He shot up and looked around, panicking. "Liv?" he called, getting out of the bed. He walked into the living room and found her, curled up on the couch, wide-awake, shaking, and pale. "Liv, baby, what happened?" She shook her head vigorously. Elliot sat beside her and pulled her close. "Tell me," he said. "Liv, talk to me, honey."

"Nightmare," she whispered.

Elliot blinked and looked down at her. "Again? I thought that we'd gotten you over that. Your mother?"

She shook her head again and pulled him closer, burying her head in his neck. "You," she whispered.

"Me?" he asked, rubbing her back. "What about me?"

She just shook her head and pulled him tighter. She would tell him when she calmed down, but now, all she wanted to do was hold him, taking comfort in the fact that he was alive and holding her. "I love you," she said, softly.

"I love you, too, Liv," Elliot said, squeezing her and sighing. "I love you, too."

**A/N: What was her nightmare about? What's gonna happen when Brian and Kathy get married? Will she ever tell him the baby isn't his? And how does Casey handle dating Fin behind her father's back? The next chap and the next month of their lives…if you want it!**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Time jump number two. Not a long one, and you haven't missed anything =)**

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and its Characters belong to Dick Wolf. Storyline and dialogue, and narrative belong to TStabler©**

November 19th, 1999

"I can't believe your father hasn't figured this out, Case," Olivia said, sitting on the steps of the school. "I mean, you've been dating Fin behind his back, for three weeks, and telling him what exactly?"

"Um" Casey said, biting her lip, "That I'm with you and Alex."

Alex almost choked on her cigarette. "Hey, what?" she asked, wide-eyed. "If you're gonna use me to lie, tell me about it first. If your dad had called, I wouldn't have told him you were with me!"

"Yeah, you would have," Olivia said, smirking.

"Okay," Alex said, blowing smoke. "I would have, but I would have been fucking confused about it."

Elliot chuckled as he ran his hands up and down Olivia's arms. He was sitting behind her, his arms around her, as usual. "Well, thankfully, he hasn't called. No one likes it when you're more confused than normal, Cabot," he teased.

Olivia, trying not to laugh, elbowed him lightly in his stomach. "Mean," she whispered.

"True," he whispered back, kissing her neck.

Olivia sighed and leaned back into his kiss, moaning softly. In the weeks following their crash, they'd only gotten closer. Olivia, however, had been having nightmares again. Not about her mother or her childhood, but of something horrible happening to Elliot. He had gone to meet with a recruiter and some big wig in the Marine Corps, and he'd officially put his name down. After graduation, two weeks after it to be precise, the boy would be off to the academy in San Diego, California for twelve weeks, followed by three and half years of bouncing from station to station, training and probably fighting. Olivia was scared, nervous and pissed off. She didn't think of it now, though, not when his mouth was so firmly and deliciously pressed against her neck, right behind her ear, making her melt and purr and forget she was even awake.

"Damn," Casey said, shaking her head. "She's getting bigger by the minute." Her eyes were on Kathy, getting out of Brian's red sports car.

Alex scoffed. "He's gonna have to trade that in for an SUV soon," she said with a laugh. "That's certainly not a family vehicle."

Olivia popped her head up as Elliot stopped suckling on her neck, he didn't want to leave any visible marks, and they both watched the newlyweds walk up the steps. Kathy and Brian stopped and looked down at Elliot and Olivia.

"Hi, Olivia," Brian said, smiling, his voice bright. "Um, how are you?"

Olivia tilted her head up and shrugged. "I'm fine, thanks. How's married life treating you?"

"Oh, uh, it is what it is, ya know?" He leaned down and whispered to her, "I can think of someone else I would much rather be spending the rest of my life with." He looked at her, dead in the eyes, and stood back up.

Kathy, sensing their would-be-tender moment, clasped Brian's hand and pulled him into the building. "Let's go," she spat. "I thought I told you, you can't talk to her!"

Their voices faded as the wood and glass doors closed behind them.

"Wow," Chester said, stepping up to the group. "She's a bit controlling."

Elliot scoffed. "You have no idea," he said. "I thank God, every day, that I am not in his position. I can't imagine what my life would be lie if that was me. I'm incredibly blessed that this one, right here, gave me a reason to walk away from that crazy girl," he said, squeezing Olivia.

"Yeah," Olivia laughed. "An accidentally sent text message. Best mistake of my life," she said, tilting her head back for a real kiss.

Chester rolled his eyes. "Okay, Donnie and Marie, we got get to class," he said.

"Donnie and Marie were brother and sister!" Olivia yelled, making a horrified face.

Chester furrowed his brow. "Are you serious? They always seemed so…sexual!"

"That's so gross," Alex said, tossing her cigarette away. They walked into the school, toward their classes as she said, "Why am I dating you? You didn't know they were brother and sister?"

"They had the same last name! I thought they were married!" Chester said, defensively.

Alex shoved him in the arm, playfully as they separated in the hall. "Siblings have the same last name, too, genius."

* * *

"Mel," Olivia said, tapping on the textbook. "You're never gonna get it if you keep staring at him. Pay attention, okay?"

"Okay," Melinda said, looking from the cute boy she'd been eyeing to the book in front of her. "I don't see why I'm gonna need this crap, anyway."

Olivia shrugged. "I thought you wanted to be an Emergency Room Surgeon like your father."

"Over my dead body," she spat. "I changed my mind. I don't want to be responsible for killing people. If I make one mistake, and they die because of me, I couldn't live with that."

"Why don't you become one of those, uh, what are they called, forensic pathologists? You're patients would already be dead," Olivia offered with a laugh.

"Could we try to make sure I pass A. P. Biology first, before we decide on my career?" Melinda laughed, trying hard to memorize the parts of the central nervous system.

Elliot came back from the bathroom, then, and took his rightful place at Olivia's side, at their lab table. He looked at her, bent over the table behind her, helping Melinda. Then, he looked down at the lab reports in front of him. She'd finished her work, his and then helped Mel. She was a machine, and he loved her for it. "Liv," he whispered to her. "Sorry to interrupt, baby, but you didn't have to do my lab for me. I was only gone for a few minutes."

"I don't know what you're talking about. Check the handwriting, it's yours," she said, turning her head back to Melinda.

Elliot looked down at his lab, and sure enough, his lab was completed in his own slanted scrawl, nothing like Olivia's curvy, flourishing calligraphy. He smirked and shook his head. She really was a genius. It was one of the many reasons he loved her. She scooted over to him and kissed his cheek, winking at him when he caught her eye, and he knew, somehow, he had to make sure they stayed together when they were apart.

Kathy looked over at them, cuddling over their books, and sighed. She turned toward Brian and sighed again. She thought this would be easy, once they were married, but it was only getting harder. She never wanted Elliot more, and never liked herself less than she did in the past month. "Brian," she said, looking up at him. "I have something very important to tell you."

"It isn't mine," Brian said, bluntly.

Kathy's eyes widened. "What?"

"Your heart," he said, looking up at her. "You're still in love with him. I know. I'm still hanging onto Olivia, too. But you and me, Kathy, we gotta make this work and we gotta get over them, because they're not breaking up. Look at them! And you're carrying my baby, so I'm not going anywhere either." He sighed and shook his head. "You've got that ring on your finger, just like I do. This commitment, it's gonna stick and it's gonna mean something."

Kathy didn't know whether to hit him or kiss him. He was throwing his life away for a girl he barely knew over a mistake he didn't make. Her plan had worked, only she trapped the wrong boy. She smiled at him and added another lie to the long list. "I was just going to tell you that I think you're an amazing guy," she said to him.

"Oh," he said, taken aback. "Well, uh, then, okay." He kissed her cheek, smiled, and went back to his work.

* * *

"Pass the ketchup," Chester said, holding his arm out over Alex to Fin.

Alex smacked his arm away. "That's so rude!"

Melinda chuckled. "Chester, if you ask someone to pass you something, you don't have to reach for it," she said, laughing.

Olivia's head dropped to Elliot's shoulder. She was exhausted. He wrapped his arm around her and jostled her. "Baby, you wanna go home? We can get this stuff wrapped," he whispered to her.

"Huh?" she said, popping her head up. "No. no, I'm fine." She shook her head, waking herself up, but saw the look Elliot was giving her. "Really, I'm fine."

"Liv," he said, narrowing his eyes at her. "You always say you're fine when you're not. You haven't been sleeping very well, baby, and last night was pretty rough. Why don't we just go home, eat these burgers on the couch, curled up under a blanket, with a good movie on the TV? Then we can call it an early night, crawl into bed, and make ourselves really tired," he said, kissing behind her ear.

Olivia let out a small laugh. "Sounds good, El."

Elliot chuckled, kissed her again and got the attention of the waiter. He had their burgers wrapped and then he and Olivia said goodbye to their friends and took off to spend a quiet evening at home, together.

Casey shook her head and laughed as they left. "Those two are gonna be together forever, you think?"

Alex, chewing on her burger, nodded and swallowed. "If they ever split up, we're never gonna hear the end of it."

"Yeah," Fin said, scoffing. "Stabler will bitch and moan and Benson will have a giant chip on her shoulder."

"God," Casey said, swallowing her mouthful of fries. "Hopefully we'll all be miles away from each other if that ever happens."

Alex laughed. "Are you kidding? We'll probably end up working together, and you know damn well you, me and Olive are gonna live together until death or marriage." She paused, looked at Casey and said, "And Stabler."

The table erupted in laughter as they ate and the two remaining couples, and Melinda, chatted about their day.

* * *

Elliot had just popped in the movie and made himself comfortable on the couch. Olivia curled up beside him, snuggling close, and he wrapped the blanket around them. They ate their burgers, shared fries and kissed and cuddled as they watched the comedy playing on their screen. "This is nice," he said, kissing the top of her head.

"Yeah," Olivia said, nodding and nuzzling him. "It really is."

"I could do this every night. I don't need to go out, I don't need to party, I don't need anyone else, Liv. As long as I'm with you," he said, kissing her again. He brushed her hair back and laughed. She was fast asleep, with a smile on her face. He didn't want to risk waking her up or disturbing her, so he simply leaned back and closed his eyes. They stayed on the couch, holding each other tight, all night. Olivia's dreams were peaceful, and Elliot's were beautiful, filled with images of his beloved Olivia.

Casey, however, was going to have an awful night. She walked in, after Fin had dropped her off, and her parents were waiting for her in the living room. "Casey," her mother said, sadly. "We need to talk."

**A/N: Oh no! What do Casey's parents say? How much longer can Kathy pull Brian along, and what brilliant plan does Elliot come up with to make sure he can hold on to Olivia? It's all coming up, if you want it.**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: (completely forgot that Elliot's birthday is October 20th =) it'll be referenced in this chapter) What were Casey's folks so worked up about? What's up with Alex and Chester? **

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and its Characters belong to Dick Wolf. Storyline and dialogue, and narrative belong to TStabler©**

Monday, Alex and Chester were sitting next to each other, while Elliot was wrapped around Olivia, on the top step of the school. Fin was pacing back and forth. They were all confused. "Where is she?" Alex questioned, lighting up a cigarette.

Olivia shrugged. "It's not like her to be late," she said. "She hasn't miss one of these morning gatherings in three years."

Finally they saw her, pulling up in her dad's car. She slammed the door and raced up the steps, then glared at her father until he drove away. Once he was out of sight, she threw her arms around Fin and cried. "Casey, babe, what happened?"

"My mom's leaving," she said, sobbing. "She and my dad are splitting up, and because the house is in his name, and he makes more money, she's leaving me with him so I can stay in school! They're just...how can she just leave?" she cried, heaving into Fin's chest.

Fin squeezed her tighter and the other friends looked at each other, speechless. Alex's parents were cookie-cutter, loving Catholics. They made the Cleaver's look like they had issues. Chester's parents were amazingly affectionate. Olivia had no idea who her father was, so she couldn't relate to ever witnessing parental problems, and Elliot actually envied Casey right now. He only wished his parents had the balls to get a divorce. No one truly understood the pain she was feeling right now. They could do nothing but watch, shocked and sad, as Casey let herself cry in Fin's arms, wondering how they were gonna make it through the day.

French class was abnormally quiet. No one knew what to say, so they said nothing. Alex actually paid attention and learned something from Madame Rechaud, and Olivia and Elliot worked on their essay together, knowing that it was a guaranteed A. Casey, silent and still, did nothing. The bell rang and she didn't move. Olivia tugged on her white shirt, under her plaid vest.

"Hey, Novak, come on, honey," she said sweetly. "You can't stay in French class all day."

Casey looked up, tears still stinging at her eyes, and she robotically got out of her seat, grabbed her unopened, unused books and allowed Olivia to practically carry her out of the classroom.

* * *

As the girls walked into their trig class, Alex made a silent victorious cheer. "Substitute, sweet!"

Casey shook her head. "Seeing the cute teacher's ass would have cheered me up, a little," she mumbled, sitting in the desk behind Alex.

"Hey," Olivia said with a smile. "At least you're talking now." She ran her hand down Casey's arm and said, "If you need anything, Case, just let us know. We're both here for you."

"Yeah, Novak," Alex said. "I'm not going to pretend to understand..."

"She's been seeing another guy," Casey said, bluntly. "Who does that? How do you do that? You get married to someone because you love them enough to stay with them, only them, for the rest of your life. How do you break that promise?"

Olivia tilted her head. "I really don't know, Case. But, to be honest, I really don't know how you can make that promise to begin with."

"Oh, please," Alex said. "You and Stabler..."

"Are teenagers," Olivia said, finishing Casey's sentence. "What we say now, and what's going to happen six months from now are totally different. Once you make that promise, that's it, that's a lifetime commitment, and how people can expect a promise like that to stick..."

Alex scoffed. "You're such a cynical, pessimistic..."

"Realist," she finished. "I'm realistic. It sucks to say this, and I don't know how your parents have done it, Cabot, but most people just walk away. Or, they run. Or they'll eventually leave," Olivia said, absently playing with the key around her neck.

Casey sighed, "Is this about the Marines? College? Benson, he's not gonna leave you. You have to trust that."

Olivia looked at Casey, rolled her eyes and asked, "How do you know that?"

"I just do," Casey replied, giving her a soft smile. "You need to wait a little while, but I promise, you'll see. You two, you're the real deal. He's not going to give you up. He, on his own birthday, took you to get your cast off, and then planned what was supposed to be a romantic weekend for the two of you."

Alex smirked. "So, uh, what did you give young Stabler for his birthday?" she asked, wagging her eyebrows.

Olivia smirked and said, "An ice cream sundae and lots of help with his Spanish."

"That sounds...really bad, Benson," Casey said, chuckling.

"Oh," Olivia said, rolling her eyes and biting her lip, "It was incredible."

The girls took a moment to process what she meant, then their mouths dropped and they laughed. Casey momentarily forgot her problems, and it was all thanks to her friends.

* * *

"You're gonna what?" Fin yelled in a whisper, during Spanish. "Have you lost your damn mind?"

Elliot rolled his eyes and sighed. "I'm not gonna do it right now! I got it all figured out. On prom night. And it's not gonna be, like, the real thing, just..."

"But, still, dude, what if you meet some hot Marine chick? Or what if she meets some hot college guy?" Fin asked. "You two would be screwed."

"Exactly," Elliot said with a laugh. "This would be my way of promising her that that would never happen. All it is a promise anyway, a promise I intend to keep. A promise that she would keep. I know she would."

Chester leaned over and scratched his head. "Wait a minute, here. You two haven't had sex yet, right?"

"Right, I'm taking my time with her," Elliot said. "What does that even matter?"

Chester shrugged. "Well, I'm just saying, the physical aspect of a relationship can change the way you feel..."

"We get physical," Elliot said, smirking. "Just not...completely."

Fin shook his head. "But, Stabler, man, you're eighteen. How do you even..."

"Guys," Elliot interrupted. "I know she's the one. I only told you because I'm gonna need your help, and your support. I'm not asking her to marry me, or..."

"You might as well be, Stabler," Fin said, chuckling. "It's the same fuckin' thing."

Chester laughed. "Prom's, like, seven months away, dude. Why are you telling us about this now?"

"Because, it's gonna take at least seven months to get everything done and ready, and planned. I need to find a tux, she needs a dress that I need to buy for her, I have to find a ring, I need to find a nice place to take her for dinner, and I need to book a hotel room not too far from where they're having the prom," he listed, ticking each one off on his fingers, "And you two need to make sure she doesn't find out about any of this shit."

Fin laughed, shaking his head. "Baby-Girl's gonna kick your ass, man. She's gonna kill you."

"I know," Elliot said with a smile. "But what a way to go."

* * *

By the time they got to A. P Biology, Olivia had Casey realizing that her parents were better off apart if her mother had been unfaithful. Casey admitted, however, that it was going to be rough for her, with the split happening so close to the holidays. That's when it occurred to Olivia that this would be her first Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year without a drunken beating from her mother. Without her usual babysitting gig, she really didn't know what she's be doing during the winter break from school, during the holidays. She sat down at her lab table, next to Elliot, with a pensive look on her face.

"Hey, baby," Elliot said, kissing her cheek.

"Hey," she replied, without looking at him.

Elliot hummed. "Okay, I know that look, Benson. What are you thinking about?"

"Thanksgiving," she said, raising an eyebrow. "It's gonna be weird without my mother."

"I think it'll be okay, I mean, my parents really like you, and you finally get to meet my brother and my sisters..."

Olivia scrunched up her face. "What are you talking about?" she asked, interrupting.

"Liv," Elliot said with a sigh, "I assumed you'd be with me for the holidays. Thanksgiving with my family, then Christmas and New Years...I was thinking of just the two of us, maybe taking a road trip. Seeing what kind of mileage we can get on the new truck. Maybe Vail?"

"Colorado?" she asked, with a short chuckle.

"Yeah, our last romantic getaway turned out to be kind of a bust," he said with a shrug. "It'll take us two days to get there, but it'll be a great week. What do you say?"

Olivia was speechless. He was really serious about taking her on a real vacation, alone, during their winter break. She smirked at him and chuckled silently. "Only you, Stabler. Skiing in Vail over break sounds wonderful," she said. "But, Thanksgiving with your family?" she scrunched up her face again.

Elliot rolled his eyes and kissed her nose, marvelling at how adorable she looked. "I know, baby, but I promised them I'd come home for at least one holiday a year, and this year it's Thanksgiving. When's the last time you had a real turkey dinner with a real family sitting around a big table, huh? I swear, I can keep my psycho father and crazy mother from doing anything really shocking for one night. Wednesday night, we'll drive over there, and they'll have no problem with us staying in the same room. Thursday, we'll get up early and help with the cooking..."

"You want me to cook? I will kill half of your family," Olivia said, raising an eyebrow. "Food poisoning."

Elliot laughed. "I won't mind, I promise." He kissed her lovingly, thrilled that their holiday plans were settled. Olivia smiled and nuzzled him, a bit nervous about having a real holiday for the first time in her life.

"Case," Fin said, prodding her with his elbow. "Babe, you look like you're feeling better."

"Uh, yeah," Casey said, scrawling out her molecular diagram. "I am. Cabot and Benson just helped me realize that my parents are better off apart after what my mother did."

"You know they're right," Fin said. He raised his voice a little as he wrapped an arm around Casey. "Marriage is tough, and it's a big commitment. You shouldn't make a promise like that unless you know you can keep it, forever, you hearin' me over there, man?"

"Shut up, Fin," Elliot said, over his shoulder, viciously. Olivia raised an eyebrow. "Don't worry about it, Liv," he said, turning his attention to his assignment.

Casey, however, turned her attention toward Kathy and Brian, who seemed happy as they did their work together. "Or, unless you're forced into it, like they were."

"No, Case. She was forced, he was tricked, and I seriously doubt they're gonna be very happy. They're gonna cheat on each other left and right, watch," Fin said, shaking his head. "Damn shame."

* * *

"So we half a half-day tomorrow, for Thanksgiving break, what are you all doing?" Casey asked. "I'm going with my dad to my Uncle Rick's house. That'll be fun," she said sarcastically.

"Me and Liv are heading to my parents house. Doing the whole family, turkey, stuffing, and pie thing. And, hopefully, the Stablers won't scare the shit out of Liv," he said, laughing, as he pulled his girlfriend closer.

"With the childhood I had, El, your brother could be Jason Voorhees, try to kill me, and it would still be the best holiday of my life," Olivia said, biting into her sandwich.

The table laughed, then Alex said, "I'm not gonna be there, but the Cabots are actually having a vegetarian thanksgiving, thanks to my socialite mother's new outlook on life. They're having Tofurkey. What the fuck is that?"

"Could be worse," said Chester. "My dad is deep-frying a Turducken," he said, almost gagging.

"A what?" Fin asked, his pizza half-way out of his mouth.

Chester made a face as he explained. "It's a chicken stuffed into a duck stuffed into a turkey," he said, sticking out his tongue. "Leave it to the Native American's to think of a way to get the most animals on the table at once."

The group laughed and then Alex said, "Don't expect me to eat that."

"I don't. Hell, I'm not even gonna eat it," Chester said.

Olivia raised an eyebrow. Alex was spending Thanksgiving with Chester's family? She shook her head, then asked Melinda what she was doing. Melina replied, "Oh, we're actually gonna go out for dinner. My father will be working until pretty late, so when he does get home we're going to Chamichi's."

"Wow," Olivia said, her mouth dropping.

Elliot and Fin looked dumbstruck, and Elliot leaned over to Olivia. "What's that?"

"El, Chamichi's is like the ultimate, exclusive, five-star restaurant. You have to book a reservation at least six months in advance and you practically have to smell like money to even stand outside to look at the menu. A glass of water is, like, twelve bucks. You want to actually eat? Dinner for two will run you close to two-hundred dollars."

Elliot looked at Fin, then at Chester. He smirked, then grinned broadly. "Liv, would you wanna go? I mean, what would you do if someone took you there?"

"Uh, yeah, I'd love to go, El. But, we'd never get in! We couldn't afford it! Stabler, I love you to death, but you find me a guy who can afford to take me there, and actually get a reservation, and I'd probably marry him," she said with a laugh.

"Thank you, Liv," Elliot said, chuckling.

Olivia kissed him and nuzzled his nose. "I'm kidding, El."

Fin looked at Chester, then they both looked at Elliot and shook their heads. They knew where Elliot was taking Olivia for dinner before the prom, and they were fairly certain Elliot was right. She'd make the promise, and she'd probably keep it.

**A/N: What promise? What's Thanksgiving gonna be like? What about their week in Vail? And what's going on with Alex and Chester? Review for more?**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Thanksgiving brings about a few confessions, along with a few other surprises for the group! **

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and its Characters belong to Dick Wolf. Storyline and dialogue, and narrative belong to TStabler©**

"Trust me," Elliot said, pulling Olivia up the front steps of his family home. "They're all going to love you, baby."

Olivia scoffed. "As much as they love root canals and avalanches."

"Liv," Elliot said, stopping and looking at her. "What do I have to do to erase this negative, self-effacing attitude of yours?"

"Make the first seventeen years of my life disappear and replace them with much longer versions of the last three months," she said, shrugging.

Elliot laughed and kissed her forehead. "Baby, listen to me," he said to her. "Your mother was bonkers. She never saw you through her drunken haze. If she had, she would have loved you as much as I do. As much as my family will. With the exception of my mother, because I'm not even sure she knows her own name right now, but she'll love you during her lucid moments." He kissed her again, and pulled her the rest of the way up the steps.

* * *

"Thank you for inviting me to spend Thanksgiving with your family, Mrs. Lake," Alex said, waiting for Chester to get out of the bathroom so they could leave for the movies. "I'll be here early tomorrow to help with setting up."

Chester's mom looked at her and smiled. "Sure thing sweetie," she said, handing her a glass of soda. "I knew it would make Chessie happy."

Alex raised a quizzical eyebrow at Chester, who appeared behind his mother, and mouthed, "Chessie?"

Chester just closed his eyes and shook his head. His images of his family not embarrassing him in front of Alex had just shattered. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the living room, praying that she'd forget all about the nickname she just heard.

* * *

Casey was silent as she padded up the stairs in her uncle's house to the guest room. She hated that she'd be spending the holidays away from her mother, and she hated that she really couldn't hate her mother for what she had done. She plopped on the bed and sighed, missing Fin, missing her mom, and wondering who else would be bombarding the house for dinner tomorrow. There was one person she was hoping to see, and dreading it, at the same time.

* * *

"She's just precious, Elliot," his sister, Victoria, stated, thinking she was whispering.

"Precious?" Olivia asked, whispering in his ear. "What am I, a fucking doll?"

Elliot chuckled and kissed her. "Yeah, mine."

His brother, Joe, named after his father, nodded as he pat Elliot on the back. "Much better than the last one, little bro." He eyed Olivia and winked at her, then leaned over to Elliot. "If you dump this one, too, can I have her?"

"What? No!" he yelled, smacking Joe in the head. "I'm not dumping her, anyway, buttmunch."

"Watch it, asswipe," Joe spat. "I'm older than you, therefore, I can just take her from you and you can't do shit about it." He ruffled Elliot's hair and sat across from the couple, just as Mr. and Mrs. Stabler walked into the room.

"Olivia, honey," Joseph said, "So thrilled you came. It's going to be wonderful having you here!"

"Thanks, Mr. Stabler," Olivia said, trying to unclench her jaw. The hatred she felt for this man, despite what he had done for her, was powerful.

Elliot sighed. "Liv, baby, you remember my mother, Bernie." He took one of his mother's hands and looked into her eyes. "Mom, you know Olivia, right? Olivia Benson?"

"Of course, dear. That sweet girl you go to school with, the one you've been seeing," Bernie said. "The one your father says you want to marry."

Elliot's eyes widened. He shot a glare at his father and Joseph shrugged. "Sure," Joseph said. "She doesn't remember half of anything I tell her. But that, she remembers."

Elliot's head dropped into his hand. Olivia went stiff beside him. His brother laughed like a hyena and his sisters stared, suspiciously, at Olivia, wondering what kind of Stabler she would really make.

* * *

Melinda showed up on Fin's door, at ten-forty-five, and sighed when he answered it. "Hey," she said. "Before you even say anything, just listen, okay? I know Casey's out of town, and I know you're not exactly on the up and up with your parents, so if you'd like to come to the restaurant with my family, I'd love to have you there. It wouldn't be a date, not at all. Just a friend joining us for the holiday."

Fin raised an eyebrow and turned his head over his shoulder. "Uh, Mel, that's real nice of you," he said. He was about to turn her down, but the sudden rush of memories, of his first time, their bodies and their hearts becoming one, flooded him and he said, "Yeah, sure," before he knew what he was doing.

"Great," Melinda said. "I will tell my dad to call and add a person to our reservation. We'll pick you up at, say, ten o'clock tomorrow night? Sorry, it's so late, but that's when my dad gets out."

"Uh," Fin said, realizing what he'd just agreed to. "That's cool, Mel. See ya." He watched her walk back down the street, feeling like the world's biggest idiot.

* * *

Alex and Chester had begun to walk home from the theater and, in the chilly night air, he wrapped his arms around her. "So," he said. "You over Stabler, yet?"

"Well," Alex said, puffing on a cigarette, "I think a part of me will always wonder about him, but I'm kind of falling for you, Chessie."

"Don't call me that," he said, chuckling. "And, uh, I may be falling for you, too, Cabot." He turned to her, ripped the cigarette out of her and kissed her, not caring that she tasted a little like an ashtray.

* * *

Elliot had walked Olivia up to the room that, after much begging, yelling and convincing, his parents had agreed to let them share. They were turning down the sheets when he finally addressed the issue they'd been avoiding. "Liv," he said, sighing and looking up at her. "What my mother said, what she said my father said," he babbled. He ran a hand through his hair and took another breath. "It's true, okay? I want to marry you. But, I didn't mean now. I didn't even mean soon! I meant, like, eventually, in like, ten years," he explained, making wild hand gestures. "This is so not how I wanted to tell you."

"El," Olivia said, her eyes focused on him and flashing a glittering, gold color he'd never seen before, "Do you really mean that?"

"Liv, I don't think I've ever meant anything as much as I mean that," Elliot said, wondering whether that gold flecking in her eyes meant she was happy or pissed off to an ungodly extent.

Olivia reached up and rested a hand on either side of his face, not really cupping it, but caressing it. She stood on her tiptoes, brushing her lips over his lightly, and then kissed him for all he was worth. "I love you," she whispered, holding him tighter.

He moaned in excitement, pleasure, and relief as he returned the kiss, eagerly, and picked her up in his arms, then bringing them down onto the bed. He smiled against her lips, vowing, silently, that he'd spend the rest of his life making her eyes glitter.

* * *

Casey walked down the stairs, yawning, in her flannel pajamas. She rubbed her eyes as she padded into the kitchen, and she bumped into him. "Oh, sorry," she said.

"No problem, Case," she heard him say.

Her eyes popped open. There he was. Her childhood crush, Charlie. He lived next door to her uncle, and he and his family were always invited to the house for the holidays. After she regained her sense, she realized she was standing in front of him, in her pajamas, and ran out of the kitchen and back upstairs.

* * *

Kathy was helping her mother in the kitchen, while Brian and her father were watching a football game in the den. Brian was about to walk in and help, when he heard the talking and stopped.

"What exactly are you telling me, Katherine?" Mrs. Malone yelled in a harsh whisper. "You're telling me that you are having the illegitimate child of our former priest?"

Kathy sniffled. "Yes," she said. "But, I don't know how to tell Brian. He's been so wonderful, and…"

"You're not going to tell him, Kathy. You're a married woman now, and as long as he thinks that baby is his, it'll stay that way. Put the damn turkey in the oven and stop crying," her mother spat at her. "We never had this conversation."

Brian blinked, using all of his self-control not to barge into the kitchen and scream. This girl had ruined his life for nothing, and he was paying for someone else's mistake. He took a deep breath and smirked. He could use this information, hold it over her head, and really make her pay him back. Ten fold. "Happy Thanksgiving, Mom," he said brightly, walking into the kitchen. He kissed Kathy, a little too hard, right on the lips and rubbed her belly. "And Happy Thanksgiving to you two, too," he said, looking at her. She saw the vicious gleam in his eye and knew that it was going to be anything but.

* * *

"Chessie, can you pass the corn," Mr. Lake asked, handing him a big plate of fried Turducken in return.

"Oh, Dad, man, this stuff is gross," he said, swatting it away. "Fifth family in ten years, you'd think this one would make a normal turkey? Nope," he said, leaning toward Alex.

Alex looked at him, stunned, and raised an eyebrow. "What did you just say?"

"Oh, uh," Chester stuttered, scooping mashed potatoes onto her plate for her. "I'm a foster kid, Alex. The Lake's are my fifth, and final, family."

Alex blinked. "But your name…"

Chester shrugged and put the bowl down, picking up a plate of rolls. "They adopted me, about three years ago, and had my name legally changed."

"Oh," Alex said, surprised. "Wow." She took a breath, taking in that information, knowing they'd have to have a much longer conversation later. She dug into her meal, pleasantly surprised to find out that fried Turducken wasn't half bad.

* * *

"So, Olivia, Elliot's told us a lot about you, but he's been a little lax in the family details. What nationality are you?" Elliot's sister, Lauren, asked, passing her the yams.

Olivia made a small sickened face and passed the yams to Elliot and then said, "My mother was French and English, her father was born in Oxford."

"And your father?" Joe, Elliot's brother, asked. "You look Italian, are you Italian? Benson isn't Italian, though. Is it?"

Olivia felt Elliot's hand squeezing her leg under the table. She placed her hand over his, squeezing gently. "Actually, Benson is my mother's last name. I, uh, don't know who my father is, actually, so I could be Italian." She saw the confused expressions on the faces of the people around the table, all except for Joseph, who knew the whole story. "See, uh, my mother was raped, and I'm…"

"Oh, God, honey," Bernie said, tilting her head and interrupting her. "What a little miracle you were."

"Wow," Olivia said. "I've never heard it put quite like that before."

Elliot chuckled. "Mom, you're right. She is my miracle," he said, rubbing her leg. "Her mother never saw it that way, though."

"Yeah," Joe said, "Dad kind of told us about your mom, Olivia."

Olivia glanced at the others at the table, and for the first time, she didn't get the shocked and horrified reactions she was used to. Instead, Elliot's family commended her for her bravery and for having such a sparkling personality despite the hand she'd been dealt.

Bernie looked up at the girl and smiled. "Olivia, truly, you've had a rough childhood, but you've managed to put it all behind you, right?"

"Well, I guess, but there's always fear for the future," she admitted, spooning mashed cauliflower into her mouth. "Half my genes are drunk and the other half are violent and cruel."

"And look how great you turned out," Elliot said, smiling warmly at her. Olivia looked at him and their eyes locked. It was then that she noticed, their hands had been clasped, tightly, resting on her knee, throughout the entire meal.

Joseph looked at his son and Olivia, and he noticed something unmistakable in their eyes. He knew that this would be the only person in the world Elliot would ever truly love, and as his work phone rang, interrupting their meal and calling him to a case, he smiled. All he had to do was make one phone call, one day, and his son would forgive him. For everything. His smile was short lived.

"Where are you going?" Bernie yelled.

Joseph rolled his eyes. "I have a case, Bern, it happens." He walked to the door, and pulled it open. "I'm sorry, guys. I'll be back as soon as I can get away."

"It's Thanksgiving, Joe! The only day this year you're even going to see your son!" Bernie bellowed. Then, she lifted the turkey, platter and all, off of the table, walked to the front door and heaved it out after him. "Take your dinner to go!"

Elliot let his head drop to Olivia's shoulder and he whispered, quietly, in her ear. "I'm so sorry, baby."

"Don't be." Olivia shook her head and turned, kissing him lightly. "I'm having a wonderful time, El." They smiled at each other and Elliot was reminded, once again, that Olivia could make all of his problems go away, by simply just existing.

* * *

Casey sat next to Charlie, who seemed to grow into a very handsome young man, and as she passed the potatoes, their hands touched.

"Case," he said, ignoring the shiver that ran down his spine. "The last time I saw you…I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Charlie," Casey said, smiling. "Really. I forgot all about it, actually."

Charlie chuckled. "No you didn't, but thanks. So you know, I'm on medication now, so, uh, if we ever, um, get to that point again, nothing like that will happen. I promise, I'm not gonna hurt you."

Casey smiled, a little sadly. "I'm seeing someone, Charlie."

"It's high school, Case. How serious could you and this guy possibly be?" Charlie asked, smirking at her. "Besides, we have history. A lot of it."

Casey blinked. She knew what it was like when Fin saw Melinda, and she knew that she didn't have half of the will power that Fin did. Which meant she was in a world of trouble.

* * *

"Thanks for taking me out with you guys," Fin said as he climbed into the car. "It's been a while. How are you, Mister and Misses Warner?"

"Oh, uh, Fin," Melinda said, nervously. "My parents split up last year. That's my dad's new girlfriend," she said.

The woman in the front seat turned her head and she and Fin stared at each other, shocked. "Oh, my God. This is amazingly awkward," the woman said, her eyes widening.

"Just a little," Fin said. "Happy Thanksgiving, Misses Novak."

**A/N: Some lines and characters were used and introduced from the show, to make their actual backstories fit. In the next chap: Olivia and Elliot's road trip, and a few conversations that change everything. You want it?**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Can Fin keep a secret? Can Elliot? Is Brian already making Kathy suffer? The day before Winter break brings more surprises, and what is the first part of Olivia and Elliot's road trip like? **

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© owns the narrative, dialogue and plot of this story**

The school was buzzing with students chatting about their holiday plans, and no one was really doing much work. No one, that is, except Olivia. She was nervous enough as it was, she didn't want to add the stress of falling behind in class.

"Benson," Alex spat from her desk behind her. "Seriously, you're the only one even paying attention. Cut it out! It's the last day before break. No one cares."

Olivia sighed. "If I stop writing, I'm gonna think about this trip, and then I'm gonna freak out."

"Why?" Alex asked, chuckling. "You afraid you aren't gonna be able to control your urge to rip his clothes off and ride him like a mechanical bull?"

Olivia just looked at Alex, with a flat, expressionless, face.

"Oh, my God, you are!" Alex said, her mouth hanging open.

* * *

Fin looked at Elliot, sighed, and looked back to the front of the room.

"Okay, man, that's like the tenth time you've done that. What the hell is wrong?" Elliot asked, annoyed.

"I thought you'd never ask!" Fin said, relieved. "Okay, so, uh, you know how Casey's mom has been seein' some other guy?"

Elliot nodded. "We all know. Novak won't fucking shut up about it!"

"Well, uh, it's Melinda's father," Fin said, quickly.

"What?" Elliot asked, shocked. "How do you know?"

Fin took a breath. "I went with Melinda and her dad to that restaurant for Thanksgiving, and Misses Novak was Doctor Warner's date," he said, biting his lip.

"And you've kept this quiet for almost a month?" Elliot asked, sounding irritated. "What the hell were you doing going out with Melinda, anyway?"

Fin rolled his eyes. "Um, Stabler, man, can you keep a secret?" Fin asked, narrowing his eyes at his friend.

Elliot listened intently to what Fin told him, his eyes widened and he ran a hand down his face. "I, uh, wow, Fin, I don't know what to do with that," Elliot said, shaking his head.

* * *

"Casey," Olivia said, staring at her, "I expected this kind of thing from Alex, but not from you!"

"Hey!" Alex spat, lighting her cigarette. "I would never date two guys at once! I had a hard enough time convincing myself to date Chester, all by himself!"

Casey sighed. "I didn't mean for this to happen," she said, shaking her head. "Charlie and I have a lot of history, and he is just so damn charming."

"So's Tom Cruise," Olivia said. "It doesn't mean that if he walked in right now I'd cheat on Elliot!"

"Keep your voice down, Benson!" Casey spat. "I'm not an idiot. I know Fin's been seeing Melinda, too, so it's really only fair."

Olivia and Alex stared at her, blankly.

"You guys are really oblivious," Casey said, shaking her head. "And you wanna be a cop, Benson?"

"Hey," Alex said. "We're not oblivious. It's been a busy month, and we've both been pretty wrapped up in our own relationships to notice Fin two-timing you. And vice-versa. So, uh, this Charlie guy…is he at least cute?"

Casey laughed. "Adorable."

Fin, Chester, and Elliot walked over, carrying their trays, and sat on the grass beside their girlfriends. Elliot's arm immediately went around Olivia's shoulders and he pulled her toward him. "Hey, Angel-Face," he said, kissing Olivia.

Casey raised an eyebrow, as if noticing for the first time that since Thanksgiving their relationship had changed. She couldn't put her finger on it, but if it was possible, it seemed, they'd gotten closer. They were more possessive of each other.

Alex, looking over at Fin and Casey, noticed that they seemed distant, barely touching at all.

Chester kissed the top of Alex's head and smiled. It was an interesting lunch.

* * *

Kathy tried to avoid looking at Olivia and Elliot as she walked into A. P. Biology. She sat down at her lab table, sighed, and waited for her husband to stroll in. She saw him and she smiled, but he didn't smile back. The look he was giving her was very menacing.

"Kathy," Brian said, sitting down next to her, "There's something I've wanted to tell you, since Thanksgiving. You're gonna be a lot nicer to me from now on." He gave her an evil smirk, opened his book, and narrowed his eyes at her. "And you're going to be doing me a lot of, uh, favors," he said, grinning and leaning back in his chair. "See, I've been keeping a secret from you."

Kathy's eyes widened. "What?" she asked, nervous.

"My secret, Kathy, is that I know your secret," he said, peering into her eyes with an evil gleam in his own. "And if you want me to stick around, and pretend I don't, then you've gotta start acting like a wife." He chuckled at the horrified look on her face, and turned his attention to the front of the room when the teacher started to speak.

* * *

"Man," Elliot said, shaking his head when the final bell rang. "I thought the day would never end."

Olivia chuckled as she got into his shiny, red truck. "Me either."

Elliot threw his tie off and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt. "Do you wanna stop home and change, shower, and eat? Or do you wanna just…"

"Let's drive, Stabler," she said, winking. She tossed off her vest and tie and smiled at him, eager to begin this adventure.

Elliot grinned. He looked over and saw Fin and Casey getting into the car, and shook his head, waving at them. "See you, guys!" he shouted, hoping they'd both be in one piece when he returned.

"Bring Benson back alive, Stabler," Alex yelled from across the lot, with her arms around Chester.

"Of course, Cabot!" he yelled back, laughing. He slid into the driver's seat, started the car and looked over at Olivia. "You ready?"

"Yeah," Olivia said, sighing. "I am. Hey, did Fin tell you anything, uh, odd?"

Elliot backed out of the parking space, shrugging. "Is the fact that he's cheating on Casey odd?"

"So he did tell you? How long have you known?" Olivia asked, folding her arms.

"Hey, don't do that, Liv. He told me about it today, and I was blown away. I think he's being a dick," Elliot said. "You know if I would have known about it I would have told you!"

Olivia tilted her head. "Casey's seeing someone else, too, El. Some childhood friend of hers. A guy named Charlie."

"Damn," Elliot said. "You think you know people. Wait, does Casey know her mom's dating Melinda's dad?"

Olivia's eyes widened. "What?!" she yelled.

"I guess not," Elliot said, chuckling. He pulled out onto the freeway and shook his head. "Are we the only two people in our circle of friends who don't have any…"

Olivia interrupted him. "My drunken mother almost killed me, like, seven times, I don't have a father. You're lucky you're ad let you live, and your mother threw a turkey at your father because he had to go to work. We have problems coming out of our ears."

Elliot laughed. "Baby, I meant at the moment, right now. Look at us! Liv, we're on our way to Colorado, for a week, alone. No one to tell us what to do, no personal problems at all, totally wrapped up in nothing but a warm blanket and each other. This is gonna be pretty perfect."

"Yeah," Olivia said. "It is." She grabbed his hand over the gear shift and smiled when he pulled his hand out from under hers. He rested it on top, linked their fingers, and used both of their hands to control the car.

"Let me know when you wanna stop, baby," Elliot said. "When you get tired or hungry or…"

"Horny," Olivia said, smirking, knowing she'd just shocked the hell out him.

Elliot looked at her, wide-eyed. "Oh, if that happens, I'm pulling the fucking truck over immediately," he joked.

"Pull over," Olivia said, still smirking.

"Liv!" Elliot said, flabbergasted.

Olivia tugged on his hand and laughed. "I'm serious. Pull over, El. Just for a second."

Elliot, raised his eyebrows and let out a breath, then put his blinker on and pulled over to the shoulder. "Okay," he said, unsure of what she wanted. "What, baby?"

Olivia let go of his hand, got out of the truck, and sat on the hood. She waited, knowing Elliot would follow. He did, and when he sat next to her, he looked more confused. "What are we doing, Liv?"

"Look," she said, pointing in front of her. The sunset was amazing. The way the sun was ducking behind the clouds, shedding a world of bright colors throughout the sky. Oranges and pinks and purples and a little bit of blue, like a watercolor painting. "It's so beautiful."

Elliot wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "You made me pull over, on the side of the highway, to watch the sunset?"

"Yeah," Olivia said, laughing.

"This is why I love you," he said with a chuckle. "It is beautiful. And I'm happy we're here, together, watching it. We don't get to watch the sunset enough." He kissed her, passionately, and broke away just in time to see the last of the sun fade. "I love you, Benson."

Olivia rested her head against his and kissed him again. "I love you, too, Stabler."

"Baby," Elliot said, kissing her again. "I could sit on the truck and kiss you all night, but we have to drive as far as we can tonight, then we need to eat, and check into some hotel in the middle of nowhere." He kissed her again, not listening to his own advice.

"I know," Olivia said, returning his kisses eagerly. "We should really get back in the truck." She laughed against his lips as he clutched her hair and moaned into her mouth.

"We should," he said, deepening the kiss. "Before we give the nice drivers on this highway something to honk at," he joked, finally pulling away from her. He chuckled and hopped off the hood, then lifted her off of it, placing her gently to the ground. He opened her door for her, ran around to the other side and got in. "Shit, Liv. How the hell am I supposed to drive now?" he asked with a laugh, leaning his head back and squirming in his seat.

Olivia raised an eyebrow at him, smirked, and leaned over to him. She placed a soft kiss to his lips and said, "Close your eyes, El."

"Liv, what are you…" he was stunned when he watched her unzip his pants, lower them just a bit, and take him gently into her mouth. "Jesus Christ, baby," he gasped. "I wasn't asking you to…"

"I know," she said, looking up at him. "You don't have to ask." She went back to work, loving him. And loving the way he ran his hands, so gently, through her hair and the way he whisper-gasped, and grunted. He never stopped saying, "I love you."

* * *

"Um," Fin began. "Case, look. I don't know how to tell you this, but I don't want to lie to you, or keep this from you anymore."

"I know you're seeing Melinda," Casey said, rubbing her thumb over his hand.

Fin looked shock. "Well, uh, yeah, but that's not what I was gonna tell you, and I'm actually breaking it off with her. I was gonna tell you that, uh, I know who your mom's been seein', babe."

Casey looked up at him, her brow furrowed in confusion. "What? Who?"

"Casey, please, don't flip out, okay? Don't freak on me," Fin requested. "Your mom's been datin' Mel's dad."

Casey's heart stopped. "How did you find out, Fin? How long have you known?" she asked, panicking.

Fin sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Case, I found out on Thanksgiving when I…"

"A month!" Casey screamed. "You've known for a month? You kept seeing her, when you know that her father is responsible for ruining my life, for a whole fucking month? You kept this from me for a goddamn month, Fin! How the hell…why?"

"Casey, I didn't want to be the one to tell you! I thought your mom would tell you once she knew that I knew, and I didn't want to hurt you."

"Get out," Casey shouted, gesturing to the door.

Fin sighed. "Casey, babe, please, I…"

"Get out, Fin!" Casey yelled, louder, tears falling.

Fin stood and looked at her. "I'm sorry, Case. I really do love you, Novak."

"Just go," Casey said, reaching for her phone. She watched Fin leave and once he was gone she flicked open her cell and dialed. "Charlie? Can you come pick me up? Anywhere. I just…need to get out of here."

**A/N: What happens when Olivia and Elliot get to the hotel? What happens with Casey and Charlie, and will she forgive Fin? What is Brian gonna make Kathy do? What are Alex and Chester going to do over the break that will change their lives forever?**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: What's up with Casey and Charlie? How serious are Alex and Chester? What does the road trip bring for Olivia and Elliot? And what is step one in Brian's revenge on Kathy?**

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and related characters belong to Dick Wolf, this story, dialogue, narrative and other written elements are sole property of TStabler©**

"Casey," Charlie said, driving down the road, "You gotta tell me what we're doing, babe. I can't drive around all night. What happened, anyway?"

Casey shook her head. "I don't wanna talk about it. Just keep driving."

Charlie huffed. "Case, I need a fucking destination if..."

"Your place," she said, looking up at him. He looked back at her with wide eyes, but pulled onto the expressway that would take them upstate.

* * *

Olivia and Elliot were still driving, three hours after having a playful dinner at a hole-in-the-wall-diner, where they shared food and a milkshake. They also played napkin basketball with and shot spitballs at the little kid in the booth behind them. The whole time, Olivia couldn't help but think what a wonderful father Elliot would make someday.

They were now somewhere in the middle of Ohio, and finally pulled into the parking lot of a seedy looking motel. Elliot parked the truck, looked at Olivia, yawned and smiled. She was fast asleep, with a smile one her face. "Baby," he said, shaking her. "Liv, baby." When all he got in return was a roll of her head and a soft groan, he smirked. The motel staff watched in awe as he carried Olivia through the doors with a bag slung over his shoulder. He checked in, carried her effortlessly up to their room, placed her on the bed, took off her shoes, and tucked her in. He kissed the top of her head softly and whispered, "Goodnight, Angel-Face."

* * *

Alex and Chester had fallen asleep on his couch, in front of the television. Mr. and Mrs. Lake, watching them from the doorway, smiled sadly. "Do you think he's told her, yet?" he asked his wife.

"What's to tell? I'm sure she expects that he'll be going away to school," she answered.

Mr. Lake looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "I don't think she's expecting him to go to UCLA, though, Maria. Across the country!"

"Well," she sighed, putting a hand on her hip. "We'll just have to hope that they don't get too serious, or that they can handle a breakup or a long-distance relationship without problems."

"She's good for him," he said to his wife. "I don't want him to have to lose her so soon."

* * *

"Okay," Charlie said, parking in his driveway. "Now, can you tell me why you called me, crying, and begged me to take you out of the city?"

Casey looked at him with sad eyes. "My mom is dating Fin's ex-girlfriend's father."

Charlie furrowed his brow. "That's not so..."

"And he knew about it, because he's been seeing her behind my back for a month, and he didn't tell me," she added, interrupting him.

"Okay, now that's bad," Charlie said, scratching his head. "You haven't exactly been faithful to him, though, Case. So, why did you call me? You usually run to Olivia with this kind of shit."

Casey shrugged. "She's on her way to Colorado with Elliot for winter break, and I just...I wanted you, okay?"

Charlie nodded and smiled at her. "Okay," he said. "Come on, I'll take you inside and make you a nice hot cup of cocoa, with extra marshmallows."

"What am I, five?" Casey asked, scoffing, as she got out of the car.

"I remember that it cheers you up," Charlie said, coming around to her side. "Only now, we can drink the cocoa in the same bed," he said as he kissed her. "Naked."

Casey's eyes widened, and she looked at Charlie, stunned.

"I'm kidding, Case!" he said, chuckling.

"I knew that," Casey said, relieved, as she followed Charlie into his house.

* * *

"Hey," Brian spat, shaking Kathy out of a deep sleep. "Hey, Kathy, get up."

Kathy blinked her eyes open and looked up at him. She looked at the clock and looked back at him. "It is two o'clock in the morning," she whisper-yelled. "What do you want, Brian?"

"You," he said, before his lips crashed into hers. He ran his hands over her body and pulled her on top of him. "You're my wife, right?"

Kathy struggled to get off of him, but said, "Yeah, I am."

"Then this is part of the job," Brian said, smirking. He felt her stop struggling and he looked into her eyes. "One of the best parts," he said.

Kathy smiled at him, only a small smile, and pulled her shirt over her head. She didn't realize that Brian had left the door open. Only slightly, but enough for everyone in the house to hear exactly what they were doing. He was going to, very slowly, destroy her life, the way she had destroyed his.

* * *

Olivia opened her eyes, slowly, and found herself comfortable, warm, and safe in Elliot's arms. She rolled her head over to the side and found him, sleeping contentedly, wrapped around her. She smiled, and tried to slowly pull herself out of his hold. She managed to get one arm free when his eyes popped open.

"What's wrong, baby?" he asked, panicking.

"Nothing, El," Olivia said, rubbing his arm soothingly. "I just wanted to change out of my uniform, and go the bathroom. Maybe take a shower before we hit the road again. How long have we been asleep? How did I even get in here, I don't remember..."

"You fell asleep in the truck," Elliot said, smirking. "I didn't want to wake you, so I carried you."

Olivia raised an eyebrow, chuckled, then leaned into him and kissed him. "I'll be done soon," she said, smiling, as she crawled out of the bed.

"Hey," he said, kicking out of the covers. "We'll save time if we, uh, shower together," he said, wagging his eyebrows and smirking. He saw the look on her face, unsure if it was a good-shocked or a bad-shocked, and added, "Or, I was kidding."

Olivia snickered. She narrowed her eyes at him and tilted her head. "You know, I like the water really, really hot. Think you can handle it?"

Elliot's eyes darkened and narrowed as he smirked. He took two steps toward her and pulled her close to him. "Hell yeah," he said, brushing her hair back and kissing her. Olivia grabbed his hand, smirked as she bit her bottom lip, and pulled him slowly into the bathroom.

* * *

Alex heard the birds chirping through the open window and woke up, rubbing her eyes. She looked around quickly, as if trying to remember where she was, and then she panicked. "Shit!" she yelled, waking Chester up.

Chester inhaled sharply as he popped up and spat, "What? What happened?"

"Chester! We fell asleep," Alex spat, trying desperately to get her shoes on. "My parents are gonna kill me! My father will ground me until I'm forty-three and my mother will make me eat tofu until I explode!"

"No I won't," a giggling voice from the doorway said.

Alex looked up and her eyes widened. "Mom! I swear, nothing happened! We just fell asleep when the movie..."

"I know, Lexi," her mother told her. "Misses Lake called me last night. And she invited your father and I over for coffee. That's why we're here. Relax, you're not in trouble, sweetie. Come on in here, you two. I made vegan pancakes."

"Lexi?" Chester asked, nudging her. "I never wanna hear you give me any grief about 'Chessie,' ever again."

* * *

Elliot fixed the water, scalding hot, and pulled the curtain back. He watched, very intently, as Olivia, fully naked, stepped in, and then he followed. He reached for the small bottle of shampoo the motel provided, put a dime-sized dollop in his palm and worked it into Olivia's hair, building a thick lather as he massaged her scalp. "Why don't we ever do this at home, Benson?" he asked, listening to her sweet little moans.

Olivia chuckled leaning her head back under the hot water. "No idea, Stabler."

"We should," he said, eyeing her body, looking up and down, taking in her curves and the way she looked when she was wet and glistening. "I don't tell you how beautiful you are, nearly enough, do I?"

"Yeah," she said, scoffing. "You tell me too often, actually." She reached for the little shampoo bottle and sighed as she worked it into his hair.

He moaned lightly, then reached for the soap, and as he worked the bar over her shoulders, he said, "No, Liv, I could never tell you too much. You're so beautiful, Angel-Face."

Olivia had her hands in his hair, scrubbing his scalp, but they stilled when he said that. The sincerity in his voice had shocked her. "Why do you call me that?" she asked, peering into his eyes.

"What? Angel-Face?" he asked. She nodded, and he shrugged. "You've got the face of an angel, Liv. My angel. It just seemed ike something I should call you, something I wanna call you," he said, lathering and caressing her body.

Olivia gave him a light shove, pushing him under the water, rinsing the shampoo off of him. "I love you," she said to him, before pushing him a bit harder, into the tiled wall behind him.

He smirked as he watched the soap-suds run off her body under the hot water, and he pulled her to him. "I love you, too, baby," he said, wrapping her in a squeaky-clean embrace. He kissed her deeply as the steam filled up the room and the scalding water ran over them. Then, he got a wicked looke in his eye, turned them around and peppered kisses down her body, stopping when he got to his knees. He looked up at her and grinned, licked his lips, then licked her, languidly.

* * *

Kathy walked into the living room, and was very puzzled by the annoyed looks she was getting from her parents. She sat on the couch, with one hand on her belly, and looked up at her father. "Uh, when are we having breakfast?"

"We already ate, Katherine. You're an adult now, make your own breakfast," her father said, harshly.

Kathy furrowed her brow. "Daddy, why are you..."

"You are old enough to get pregnant, and get married, and you certainly worked up an appetite this morning, so go. Go on," he spat. "Go cook for you and your husband. Unless he's still sleeping. You two had quite a go of it, huh?"

Kathy's eyes widened. Her father had heard everything, and he was not taking it very well.

Brian walked in, then, whistling and cheerful. He felt the tension in the room, saw the look on Kathy's face, and smirked. His plan was working.

* * *

Olivia and Elliot checked out of the motel, and headed back into his new, red truck. Clean and refreshed, they were eager to get moving. "You okay, Liv?" Elliot asked, chuckling, as he saw the perplexed look on Olivia's face as she fastened her seatbelt.

"Oh, I'm amazing," she replied with a smirk and a chuckle of her own. "I'm just, uh, still trying to figure out how I stayed standing in that shower."

Elliot laughed. "You've got incredibly strong legs," he said. "And you know I wasn't gonna let you fall, baby."

Olivia smiled and leaned her head back on the headrest as they pulled back out onto the road. "Well, if I had fallen I would have landed right on your head," she said. "Ya know, I was so wrapped up in what you were doing to me, I didn't even realize that the water had gone cold."

"Neither did I, baby," Elliot said, snickering. "And I could do that to you for hours, Liv." He licked his lips, remembering her taste, and he rolled his eyes slightly. "Damn," he laughed. "I'm gonna get pulled over for speeding if I don't stop thinking about it." He took his foot of the gas a bit and shook his head, clearing his mind.

Olivia laughed and smirked at him. "What do you think everyone else is doing, right now?" she asked, reaching for his hand.

"I have no idea, Angel-Face," Elliot said, glancing at her as he linked their fingers. "But I guarantee, they're not having this much fun, and they're not this happy."

He was right. As he found a way to build his life with Olivia, the rest of his friends' lives were on the verge of crumbling to the ground.

**A/N: What happens when Fin goes looking for Casey? Will Chester tell Alex where he's going to school? What does the week in Colorado bring for Olivia and Elliot? And what makes Frank Malone so angry that he kicks Kathy and Brian out? Who do they turn to for help? That's all in the next chapter! **


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: High school drama, sometimes, causes things that will change your life, forever.**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© owns the narrative, dialogue and plot of this story.**

Olivia and Elliot pulled over to the side of the road, and were lying on the hood of the truck, watching the sunset again. Olivia was stretched out on top of Elliot, with her head on his chest. Elliot was stroking her hair and kissing her. She pulled away and sighed. "We're almost there, El. We shouldn't keep stopping. There's nothing left to see, babe, we've seen the world's largest frying pan, the world's largest ball of twine, and I'm pretty sure I've already seen the world's largest…" she trailed off as her hand cupped him through his jeans.

"Okay," Elliot said, rolling his eyes back and chuckling. "Flattery will get you, well, everywhere, baby. Keep going."

She rubbed him again, chuckled and kissed him. "I can't wait to get you into that cabin, Stabler."

"Liv," he said, kissing her, moving her hand out of his crotch. "I didn't bring you into a different time zone just so we could…"

"I know you didn't," Olivia said, sighing. "I didn't mean…Well, I mean, if you're ready, I'm ready. I've been ready, I just assumed there was a reason you were waiting. Like, maybe you just didn't want to..."

"Are you crazy? Have you lost your fucking mind?" Elliot asked, shocked. "Liv, I'd have to be dead not to want to sleep with you. I'm madly in love with you, and you make me harder than a fucking hammer just by looking at me," he told her. "But, to be honest, there is a reason I'm waiting with you. I kind of have this plan, Liv, this perfect fantasy night…"

Olivia interrupted him. "El, we can't plan it," she said. "If it happens it happens, right? Isn't that what we said? And if it does, no one said we can't still live out that fantasy of yours." She smirked, wagged her eyebrows, making him laugh, and kissed him.

"Very true, baby," he said, smiling as he kissed her. The sun fell behind the mountains, and the snow began to fall over them. Elliot laughed as he pulled Olivia closer. They kissed, deliciously, as the falling flakes lightly covered them and the truck, but they made no move to get off the hood. Kissing in the snow, by the side of a mountain, after watching the sunset, just seemed so romantic to them.

* * *

Knocking. Hard knocking on the door. That's all that Casey heard when she woke, with a start, to find herself in Charlie's bed. She looked around, and she couldn't remember how or why she even in his room. She only knew that her head hurt, and that aside from the sheet she was naked. Only when she heard Fin and Charlie's yelling voices, did the events of the night come rushing back to her. "Oh, my God," she cried, a hand shooting to her mouth. "What the hell have I done?"

* * *

"One more night like this, Katherine, and you and Brian can find someplace else to live!" Frank Malone was beyond pissed. He had heard his daughter having loud, raunchy sex with her husband for the thiird night in a row, and it was upsetting him to no extent. He had pulled her out of her room and confronted her, screaming, "Don't test me, Katherine!"

"Kathy, Daddy," she cried. "My name is Kathy! You never call me Katherine."

"I do now," he said. "By the way," he added, "Where's your grandmother's ring? The garnet and sapphire one? I have someone I want to give it to. Someone who, I know, really wants it."

Kathy's face fell. That was the ring that Elliot was supposed to use when he had planned on asking her to marry him, and her father knew that. "Who are you going to give it to, Daddy?"

"The same person I was going to give it to before, Katherine," Frank said, smirking. "Only he won't be giving it to you, will he?" Frank stormed up the stairs, grinning like a fox.

* * *

Alex and Chester were staring at each other, looking glum, and Alex was the one to break the silence. "Were you ever going to tell me?" she asked, handing Chester the scholarship forms for UCLA.

Chester swallowed. "Of course," he said. "When the time came." He thrust the forms back at her.

"Time? What time? Time for you to get on the fucking plane, Lake?" Alex spat.

"No, Cabot," Chester sighed. "I needed time to prepare, to figure out how to tell you, because I don't know if I can leave you now!"

Alex looked at him, and looked down at his forms. "You…what?"

"Alex," he said, taking a breath. "These forms are due in the registrar's office in three days. I haven't filled them out. Do you know why?"

She shook her head.

"I'm not sure I wanna take the scholarship. I think I wanna stay here. In New York. With you."

Alex looked up at him and felt a tear run down her cheek. She wanted him to stay, but she didn't want him to give up his football scholarship, his full-ride to a great school, just for her. She shook her head again as she kissed him. "No," she said. "We'll figure this out." She grabbed a pen and started writing.

"What are you doing?" he asked, confused.

"Filling out your forms," Alex said, raising an eyebrow and sniffling. "We have to get these filled out and sent, overnight express, if you want them to process your scholarship."

Chester's heart swelled. He really did fall in love with her.

* * *

Olivia and Elliot shook off the snow as they walked into their cabin. They plopped their bags down in the middle of the room and looked around. It was pretty high-tech for a log cabin at a ski-lodge, with its large television, video player, remote-controlled electric fireplace and state-of-the-art kitchenette. Olivia took off her coat and hat, tossing them on a chair and turned to look at Elliot. He was red-nosed and rubbing his hands together, still feeling the chill from the frigid Colorado weather. "El," Olivia said, laughing, walking toward him. "You poor thing. Come here." She wrapped her arms around him, rubbing her hands up and down his back. "You'll be warm in a minute," she said.

"Oh, I'm already warm, Liv," he replied, smirking, enfolding her in his arms. He pulled her in for a deep kiss. They fell backward onto the fluffy couch, laughing, but still kissing, wrapped in each others arms. They were chuckling and kissing as Olivia tugged on the buttons of his shirt, and Elliot pulled her sweater out of her jeans. He ran his hands up her sweater, skimming them along her bare back, and she bucked into him with a gasp.

She broke the kiss and said, "Shit, your hands are cold."

Elliot laughed and rubbed her back, moving his hands higher, flicking the clasp of her bra open. "Sometimes, that's a good thing," he whispered, kissing her again, moving his hands under her loosened bra, around to the front of her body. He thumbed her nipples with his frigid fingers, making her moan and gasp into his mouth. "See?" he asked, smirking against the kiss.

"Oh, my God," she gasped, leaning into his touch.

They broke apart, abruptly, when they heard a crash and glass shattering from the bedroom.

* * *

Casey had been lying, still naked, in the bed for close to half an hour, listening to Charlie and Fin yell and fight. Finally, she heard Fin snap.

"I'm done with you, man. Where the hell is she?" Fin yelled, shoving Charlie to the side. "Casey?" he bellowed. "Novak, come on!"

Charlie pulled him back. "Man, you can not just come in here and expect…"

"Look," Fin barked. "Her father called the cops. It's either I take her back, now, or the police take her back and arrest your ass for kidnapping. What's it gonna be?" Fin saw the look of defeat on Charlie's face and smirked.

"She's in the bedroom," Charlie whispered.

Casey's eyes widened. Fin was gonna find her. Like this?

Fin knocked lightly then pushed his way into the bedroom. "Casey? We have to…oh, my God."

Casey looked up at him and her eyes welled up with tears. "I don't know…I don't remember…I mean I do, but…"

"I don't really wanna hear it, Case. Just get dressed. I'm takin' you home." He walked out of the room, heartbroken, shoving passed Charlie. "Tell her I'm waiting in the car." He wiped his eyes as soon as he got outside. He would be damned if anyone was gonna see him cry.

Casey met him in the car, ten minutes later. The ride home was silent. The weather wasn't the only thing that was cold.

* * *

Frank Malone found the ring, still in its antique-style box, and clenched it in his fist.

"Daddy," Kathy said, tears in her eyes, "Why are you still giving it to him?"

Frank tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. "He asked me for it, Kathy."

"When he was gonna give it to me," Kathy said. "Or, when he thought he was! You can not give it to him so he can give it to that little tramp!"

For the first time in his life, Frank slapped his daughter, hard, across the face. "You will not call her any such thing, Katherine. She has been through hell, and she came out of it a decnt, beautiful human being. Besides, she's not the one knocked up and married to someone who isn't even the damn bastard child's father at age eighteen, is she?" He saw the horrified look on Kathy's face and spouted, "Yeah, I know all about it, Katherine. Olivia isn't the tramp. In fact, I happen to know that she and Elliot are both still virgin's. Good Catholics. Unlike some people I know," he said, glaring at his daughter. "katherine, his mother sold all of her jewelry to put his brother and sisters through school, you know that. He can't afford a ring, since the money his uncle left him is almost gone. So, this is as close to an heirloom ring as that young man is gonna get." Frank sighed and shook his head. "I can not believe you were going to ruin his life, Katherine. I'm not going to have any part in ruining it. He wants to spend the rest of his life with this girl, she makes him happy, she's an amazing kid, and he is like a son to me, so I'm giving him the damn ring." He grabbed his jacket and bolted out the door.

Kathy stared after him, cold tears running down her face. Her father had only physically slapped her in the face once, but he had defended Olivia Benson, and he'd just left to give Elliot a family ring that would end up on her finger. He'd also called her a tramp. She was, thusly, slapped in the face four times in one night, by Frank Malone. Her own father.

Brian, having heard the whole thing, smiled. He knew that having a heart-to-heart to Frank about giving Elliot that ring was the right thing to do.

* * *

Elliot and Olivia had never run so fast in their lives. They barreled through the doors of the security cabin and panted, trying to catch their breath. Elliot rubbed his bloodied knuckles and pulled Olivia, who was still shaking, into his arms. "Excuse me?" he said, trying to get the attention of the cop behind the desk.

"Yeah?" the officer replied, looking at him with a suspicious expression.

"Someone broke into our cabin," Elliot explained.

"What?" the cop asked. "What happened, kid? Tell me," the man demanded, coming out from behind his desk.

"We were in the living room when he came in through the window in the bedroom," Elliot said. "We went to check to see what the noise was, and there he was. He, uh, he had a gun."

The officer's eyes widened. "Are you both okay?"

Elliot looked at Olivia, then back at the cop. "Yeah," he said with a nod, "We're okay. Just a bit scared, and, uh, out of breath."

"You're bleeding," the cop said, nodding to Elliot's hand.

Elliot smirked. "Oh, uh, I hit him a few times, because he was gonna go after my girlfriend. He was unconscious when we left," he said, still gasping for air.

The officer picked up the phone to call for backup as he asked, "What cabin?"

"Twenty-five," Elliot said.

"Jesus Christ! You ran all the way down the hill?" the cop asked, flabbergasted. "Can you describe the man who attacked you?"

Elliot shook his head. "Not really, he was wearing a ski mask. But uh, he was about five foot eight, and I saw his eyes. He had green eyes. And when I was punching him I saw a tattoo on his shoulder. A bear claw."

Olivia nodded. "He had blond hair, too. I saw it poking out from under the ski mask, and he was wearing a puffy black ski jacket, black jeans, and white sneakers. Velcro ones. Not laces."

"Wow," the officer said, writing it all down as he waited for someone to answer his call. "Those are some pretty amazing details."

Elliot kissed Olivia's forehead and said, "We both pay close attention to detail. We're, uh, both gonna be cops someday."

"You'll be damn good ones with eyes like that," the officer said. "What are your names?" he asked, writing it all down, once more.

"I'm Elliot Stabler. This beautiful angel is my girlfriend, Olivia Benson," Elliot said, smiling, kissing her sweetly.

The cop smiled and chuckled. "Well, we're gonna take care of everything for you two. You can stay here for now, and we'll send a ranger up to get your stuff. We'll move you into a new cabin, closer to the main gates, as soon as possible."

"Thank you, sir," Olivia said, smiling.

The officer shook his head. "Don't call me sir. Please, I'm only twenty-five. You guys can call me John."

**A/N: No worries, he will end up in Baltimore's homicide division, I promise. Lol. But, I had to get him in the story somehow! There was just such a lack of Munch! **


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Winter break, for some, is anything but a vacation.**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© owns the narrative, dialogue and plot of this story.**

"...and then they never found the body, so you tell me how we're not supposed to think his death was faked by the government to keep him safe. I'm pretty sure he's still the president, and this new bonehead is just a public figurehead." John, the cop, sipped his coffee as Elliot nodded is feigned understanding.

"Is he gonna do this all night?" Olivia whispered, burying her head into Elliot's neck. While there, she dropped a light kiss behind his ear.

Elliot moaned, softly. That spot, right there, drove him crazy. It was the same spot that sent every nerve in her body wild, he knew. He pulled her closer and stretched his neck up a bit, silently begging her not to stop. He heard her give a low, soft chuckle as she continued her assault on his neck.

"Uh, John," Elliot said, keeping his voice steady, "How long until we can get into another cabin?"

"Oh! Your new place has been ready for the last hour," John said, stunned. "I just wanted to finish the story." He threw Elliot the keys. "I'll walk you over. It's right across the road."

"Good," Elliot said, grinning, as Olivia detached herself from his throat. "Close."

* * *

"Are you gonna say anything?" Casey asked, watching Fin drive, rather angrily.

He just pressed his lips together and shook his head.

"Fin, please, say something. I already told you what happened! I need you to talk to me," she begged.

Fin huffed. "I was only hangin' out with Melinda to keep an eye on your mom Casey! I wanted to make sure they were serious before I told you anything! I wasn't sleeping with her!" he yelled. "Damn it, Novak. I'm in love with you! I was waitin' until you were ready to really be with me, before I..." he shook his head again, and stepped on the gas. "Are you pressin' charges? I'll take you to the cops right now."

"No," Casey said. "It wasn't rape. Not really. He's older, but..."

"You didn't say no, did you?" Fin asked, scoffing. "You just fuckin' lied to me?"

"No, Fin, I said no! At first," Casey said, sighing. "But then, it felt...I've been seeing him, and we're...I was so mad at you...and I thought you were sleeping with her!"

Fin smirked. "Well, Casey, you don't need to worry about what, or who, I'm doin' anymore. Charlie's a lucky son of a bitch."

Casey felt a new batch of tears form behind her eyes. She really screwed up this time.

* * *

"Hell of a night," Elliot said, walking out onto the deck and handing Olivia a cup of cocoa. She nodded and smiled as she took the warm mug into her hands and he wrapped his arms around her. "It's really beautiful out here, isn't it?" he asked, kissing the back of her neck.

"Yeah," she said. "Something about the snow, El, it makes everything so..."

"White," he laughed.

Olivia chuckled. "New. It freezes it, makes it numb, kills it, but when the snow melts, everything comes back to life, bigger and stronger than it was before. You're my snow, El."

"I don't follow," He said, furrowing his brow, looking down at her.

"When we met, my freshman year, the snow started falling. I felt myself getting colder and colder as I watched you with Kathy, and all the time we spent time together, climbing or something, I got chills. Combine that with life with my mother, who really did try to kill me, and you have one very lonely girl, who had gone completely numb. When you kissed me, that night in your room, when you didn't let me go home, I knew, then, that you were melting all of that ice. And everything you've done for me since then, El, you've built me back up, made me stronger." She heard a sniffle and turned to see him, wide-eyed, with one silent tear rolling down his cheek.

Elliot didn't say anything. His answer was a kiss. A deep soul-touching kiss. "Every time it snows, Liv, I'm gonns cry now."

Olivia laughed and kissed him again, pulling him closer. "I love you, Stabler."

"I love you, too, Benson," he said, sighing in contentment as he kissed her again. Wrapped up in the kiss, they wandered back into the cabin, making their way clumsily, attached at the lips, to the bedroom.

* * *

Alex snuck into her house, yawning, and was almost to the stairs, when her father turned on the lights. "Lexi," he said, in a sing-song manner.

"Hi, Dad," Alex said, turning on her heels. "I was just helping Chester with his..."

"I know where you were. I just want you to know, that I know what you're going through," he told his daughter. "I went to Stanford..."

"I know, I know," Alex said, rolling her eyes. "You went to Stanford, Mom went to Harvard, you opened up your own law-firm, met her, got married, had me, yadda blah."

Her father laughed. "Lexi, what you don't know is that your mom and I dated in high school. I was a senior, she was a sophomore, and I went to Stanford two years before she went to Harvard."

Alex's eyes widened. "What?"

"Yes," her father said. "I wanted to stay, go someplace closer, but she begged me not to give up my scholarship. She cried and watched me get on the plane, I cried when it landed, and I spent four years pining for her."

"You broke up, right?" Alex asked.

Her father shook his head. "Lots of letters and lots of frequent flyer miles," he said. "It was hard, but we made it work. I flew back to Boston, waited for her to finish school there, then we moved to New York, together, got married, started the firm, and had you."

Alex threw her arms around him and squeezed. "Thank you, Daddy," she whispered. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Lexi," he told her. He watched her walk up the stairs and sighed. His little girl was growing up.

* * *

The kiss to end all kisses, passionate, emotional, and seemingly endless. They had made it to the bedroom, and had fallen onto the bed. They were now slowly peeling the layers of clothing off of each other, tossing them to the floor, and slowly memorizing the feel of the other, every line and curve, the kiss never breaking. It was snowing outside, but inside there was nothing but heat. He flipped her over, his lips still on hers, he traveled down her body, covering every single inch of her with the same lavish kisses he'd spent the last hour placing on her lips. Every inch, her collarbone, her nipples, her belly button, got the same amount of attention. He moved lower, pecking, biting and licking her legs, the thin skin behind her knees, finally the placed he loved to lick the most. His own groans and moans rivaled hers. He loved the way she tasted. He didn't hide the fact that he loved this particular act of love, and he didn't hide the fact that he loved loving it. He heard her breathing start to quicken, and become heavy, and he heard the throaty moans and whimpering noises and he licked a bit deeper sending her over the edge. He licked his lips as he slid up her body and just before their lips touched she surprised him by flipping him onto his back, and returning the favor, move for glorious, delectable move.

* * *

"Kathy," Brain said, walking into the living room. "Are you okay?"

Kathy shook her head. "He's gonna ask her to marry him? He's gonna use my ring? My father actually likes her? This is all wrong, Brian."

"But lying to me, convincing me that the baby was mine, making me feel responsible, making me marry you, that was right?" Brian asked, shaking his head. "That's right. You're married, Kathy. To me. He broke up with you, for her, you have to deal with that. Get it through your head. He doesn't love you! He loves her! Let him be happy and fucking try to be happy with me, because we're fucking stuck!"

Kathy looked at him and tears spilled from her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said. "I don't know if I can do that."

"Then I don't know if I can be your fall guy, Kathy," Brian said, sighing. "Do you really wanna go through a messy divorce at eighteen, have this kid by yourself, raise it by yourself, and still not have Elliot Stabler give a rat's ass about you? If you do, than that's fucking fine by me, but you're very Catholic parents aren't gonna like it very much," he said, through gritted teeth. "That's if they even give a fuck about you anymore. You're a selfish bitch, Kathy. I thought I could change you, but I guess I can't. You're life, it isn't just yours anymore. You're gonna be a mother. Everything's about that baby, now, Kathy. Think about that." He stormed back up the stairs, leaving Kathy stunned, crying, by herself.

* * *

Elliot, out of breath and with his heart beating faster than it ever had before, flipped her over, one more time, and looked down at her. A thousand words and a million feelings passed between their eyes. He took a deep breath, and brought his lips down to hers, their flavors melting together in their mouths, their moans deep and loud at the sensuality of it all. He ran his right fingers through her hair as his left intertwined with her hand. They'd both just had a powerful, hard, release. They were spent and sated, but they couldn't bring themselves to stop kissing. Finally, Elliot pulled back, peering down at his beloved.

"I love you," he whispered. "I love you so much."

Olivia smiled, her breathing finally slowing, "I love you, too, El. More than you know."

"I know we have time, baby," Elliot said, his eyes closing. He nuzzled her neck and kissed his way back to her lips, then finally opened his eyes and looked at her again. "And I want..."

"To wait?" Olivia asked, brushing her forehead against his.

Elliot kissed her, deeply, holding her close to him as he whispered, "No."

* * *

The knock on the door was loud, incredibly loud. Joe Stabler got up, off of his chair, and walked over to the door.

"Tell them we don't want any cookies," Bernie said to her husband. "Girl scouts shouldn't be out this late anyway."

"Bernie," Joe said. "It's not the girl scouts. And could you please stop hot-gluing seashells to the lampshade?"

Bernie shook her head. "It makes it feel beachy! I hate the winter," she said.

"Yeah, because you tried to kill our son in the winter," Joe muttered as he opened the door. He gasped when he saw who was behind it.

"Where is she?" the woman yelled.

"You can't go anywhere near her!" Joe yelled.

The woman spat, "Like hell I can't. She's my daughter. Where is she?"

Joe narrowed his eyes and asked, "Are you drunk?"

"No," the woman said, shaking her head. "Just pissed off. Now where the hell is she. She wasn't at your no good son's apartment."

"If it wasn't for my son," Joe spat back, "She'd be dead, Serena! I'm not telling you where she is, and...I can arrest you for even asking. Court ruled you can not try to contact her. It's her call, and if she wants to see you..."

"Damn it Joe," Serena barked. "I'll get to her. I know where she goes to school, and I know when she comes back, from wherever she is, she's gonna be at that apartment with your goddamned kid!" She turned and walked down th walkway as Joe grabbed his jacket.

"Where are you going, Joe?" Bernie asked.

Joe heaved a sigh and shook his head. He made sure he had his gun and badge and said, "Colorado." Then he slammed the front door, running out the back, so Serena wouldn't follow him.

**A/N: Woooooah. Ya gotta love high school! One more chap, then a time jump!**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: A big first, in this chapter. And one very, very surprising last.**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© owns the narrative, dialogue, and plot of this story. **

Olivia looked up into his deep-blue eyes, and he kissed her as reached down to dig through the pocket of his discarded jeans. He flipped open his wallet and pulled out a thin, foil packet, and then tossed the black, leather sheath over his head, causing Olivia to laugh. "So, I'm a little eager," he said with a smirk and a shrug. He ripped open the package and slid the condom out, and before he could do or say anything, Olivia took it out of his hands and into hers.

"Let me," she whispered. She reached down and watched his eyes slide shut, and he groaned as she rolled the latex over him, slowly and gently.

"Are you sure about this, baby?" he asked, opening his eyes, peering down at her.

She arched her back a little, bit her lip and whispered, "Yes."

Elliot moved himself over her and with his hand on his shaft he felt around and guided himself toward her entrance. He poked the tip of himself into her, only a bit, then bent back over to her, kissed her, slowly, languidly, and felt Olivia dig her fingers into his back as he started to slide inside of her. He wasn't prepared for the incredible sensation, and neither was she. She squeezed him tighter as she looked into his eyes. "Holy shit," he whispered. "Oh, God, Liv," he cried.

"Oh, my God, El," she cried in response, not sure of which was more powerful the intense pleasure or the searing pain. She dug her nails in harder when he hit her wall and Elliot stopped.

"I'm hurting you," he guessed as he read the expression on her face. "Maybe we should..."

"No," Olivia said, shaking her head. "Just do it, El. Just go, baby," she said, looking into his eyes. "Just kiss me and do it."

Elliot nodded, kissed her softly, said, "I'm sorry." He latched his lips onto hers as he thrust, feeling her break and snap. She yelped into his mouth and his arms wrapped around her immediately. He held her and he kissed her, smoothed her hair back and brushed away the two tiny tears that had fallen. "God, Liv, are you..."

"I'm fine," she panted, a small smile on her face. "I have a very high threshold for pain, El. That wasn't...it didn't hurt as much as you'd think. You feel so...so good."

Eliot let out a small nervous laugh. "Oh, you feel incredible, Liv," he said. "I don't know what I'm doing, baby, so this might not..."

"El," Olivia said, kissing him. "Shut up and make love to me. We'll figure it out together."

Elliot smiled and nuzzled her nose as he pulled out of her, slowly, and eased back into her, studying her face for any sign of pain or discomfort. He saw it, but he also saw pleasure and love, two things he knew were mirrored on his own face. He didn't know how fast to go, or if he should move in a different direction, or what she was feeling, so he did the only things he thought he could do. He went faster, then he slowed down. He twisted a little in every possible direction. Then he asked her. "Liv, how are you feeling, baby? Am I hurting you?"

Olivia squeezed the flesh on his back where her hands rested and shook her head. "El, the pain went away, baby, and this feels so damn good," she said, reaching her head up to kiss him.

He returned her kiss in kind, caressing her, entangling their tongues and their lips. For two people who didn't know what the hell they were doing, they were far less clumsy than they'd imagined. Elliot rocked into her, and the moans he was getting from her turned him on, so much, he almost exploded. He groaned and grunted as he jerked into and out of her, and he whispered, "I love you, Benson."

Olivia smiled, feeling something new and different, something amazing happening to her. "I love you, too, Stabler," she said, dragging her hands down his back.

Elliot wasn't sure what was happening to him. He felt a sudden, powerful heat filling him and his balls tightened harder than ever. He was pretty sure he was about to die. He shook his head and blinked, and he kissed Olivia, deeply, as his fingers found her clit. He teased it, unsure of whether that would help in this case or what.

"Holy shit," Olivia laughed, moaning. "God, don't stop. Please, don't stop." She tossed her head back and her back arched.

Elliot took the opportunity to kiss her neck, suck at her pulse and travel over toward her lips. "Olivia," he said, firmly. "Look at me, baby."

"Oh, God, Elliot," she whined, picking her head up to meet his clear-blue eyes. He saw that her eyes were gold, the way they were when he told her he wanted to marry her, and he smiled. She was purely happy. As was he. Once their eyes met, something in both of them snapped. "El," Olivia yelled suddenly, her eyes widening. "I think I'm gonna...oh, God, Elliot!"

"Shit, Liv, baby," Elliot panted. Their moans grew louder, and he moved faster even though he wasn't sure he was supposed to, and his fingers kept assaulting her clit and when his lips crashed down on hers they both lost it. Screaming each other's names and clawing at each other's skin, their heads filling with fog and confusion, and pleasure and extreme emotion, and their hearts bursting out of their chest with exerted energy and enough love to knock over a team of wild horses.

There was silence. Total silence. The sound of rapid breathing and heartbeats, and that's it. They looked at each other, Elliot still on top of her, still inside of her, and their faces were blank. "Are you, uh," Elliot tried to ask, "Did you..."

"Oh, yeah," Olivia said, nodding vigorously. "You didn't realize that's what I was doing?" she joked. "Did you?"

Elliot sighed and nodded just as eagerly as she did. "Shit, yeah, I did, baby."

Olivia laughed. "That was..."

"Amazing," Elliot said, using his last bit of energy to roll them over. He ran her hands over her head, through her hair, and down her back. "I feel so..."

"Happy, loved, safe, tired, satisfied, and did I mention happy?" Olivia kissed his chest, cuddling into him.

"All of those things," Elliot said, kissing her again. "Times ten."

Olivia kissed him and tried to roll to the side, but when she moved to get off of him, she winced. "Ow, oh, God, ow."

"Baby?" Elliot asked, panicking. "What is it? What's the matter?"

Olivia slid off of him, easing herself to the left. "Well, I think it has something to do with the fact that I just lost my virginity to you, and you are way above average in size, El," she laughed. "Pain was expected," she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I never meant to hurt you, baby," Elliot said, kissing her temple.

"El, you caused me much more pleasure than pain," Olivia said, her eyes drifting shut.

Elliot looked down and seethed at the sight of the blood on the sheets, and on him. He looked over at her and felt a pang of guilt. "Baby, before we take a nap, we should get you cleaned up." He got out of the bed, picked her up in his arms, and carried her into the bathroom. He ran her water, incredibly hot, and helped her into the shower. After discarding the used condom, tossing it into the bin, he climbed in with her and washed every inch of her, gently, kissing her as he washed her. He wrapped her in a large, fluffy towel, and carried her back into the bedroom.

"I can walk you know," Olivia said, kissing him as he carried her.

"I know, but this way is a whole lot more fun," he said to her, kissing her nose. He put her down, on the easy-chair, and pulled the fitted sheet off of the bed. He pulled the flat sheet down onto the mattress and patted it, letting Olivia know it was safe to crawl in. As she got into the bed, Elliot wrapped himself around her, tugging the towel off and throwing it to the floor. "I'm so in love with you it's ridiculous," he said, kissing her as she smiled and laughed. He looked into her eyes and he saw the golden flecks. They'd been there all night, and as long as he was around, they'd stay there.

* * *

"How much?" Joe Stabler asked as he walked through the airport. "No, that's fine, Bill. Just buy it. Yes. In my top desk drawer there's a set of keys, the square one opens his apartment. I need everything moved by tomorrow night. It's an extreme emergency, get the whole squad on this, and for the love of God, no one talks to Serena Benson." He snapped his phone shut as he grabbed his bag. He stormed through the glass doors and met the car and the cops who were waiting for him. "Thanks for the call, John."

"Anytime, Joe," John said, climbing into the car. "Once he said his last name was Stabler, I knew it had to be your kid. I figured I'd call you. They're safe, they're at the Brookview Lodge. Wanna tell me what this is about? A random break-in doesn't merit you flying out to Vail."

Joe sighed and said, "I don't think that it was a random break-in, John. I think that guy was hired, by Olivia's mother. I think he was gonna kill her, or kidnap her, or something. She isn't right in the head, John, and she's pissed at her kid."

"You think she's gonna come out here?"

"No," Joe said, "She doesn't know where they are, but she's gonna be waiting for them. I have to talk to them and tell them what's been done for their protection, and I have to give Elliot something his ex's dad sent for him."

John nodded, and the car drove off, heading to Brookview Lodge.

* * *

"Where have you been?" Frank asked Kathy as she came through the door.

"Out," she spat back.

Frank rolled his eyes. "Katherine, look," he said with a sigh. "You chose to act viciously, a vilely. I called Brain's father, and told him that the baby wasn't his. Brian is talking to his parents, right now. If he comes back and decides that he doesn't want to take responsibility for you and this kid, you have to live with that. That you made a mistake. But we need to know, your mother and I, who the real father is. We're going to call a lawyer and seek child support, and make whoever it is take care of this baby."

Kathy gulped. "Mom knows who it..."

"You lied to her, Katherine," Frank said, shaking his head. "We already called Father Abrams, and though having an affair with your priest, your math teacher, was deplorable, the man is completely infertile. That can't be his baby."

Kathy's eyes widened, and she gasped. She would have to tell them now, and then Elliot would hate her even more than he already did. She would cause his family a tremendous amount of grief. "I can't tell you, Daddy."

"Katherine, you tell me, or we'll go to the doctor and genetic testing will..."

Kathy interrupted him. "Elliot's brother, Daddy. Joe Stabler. Dad, it's..."

"Good God! Katherine, you couldn't have Elliot's baby so you went for his brother? You were really gonna make Elliot think...and of course he would look like him. Are you that desperate to stay in his life?" Frank asked, yelling.

Kathy shuddered and cried as she said, "Yes."

"Katherine," Frank said, closing his eyes. "You have two days. Pack your things, and go."

"Daddy," Kathy said, shaking.

"From now on, Katherine, you call me Frank," he said, putting on his coat. "That was the last time you ever call me 'Daddy,' because my little girl would never do something like this. I'm going to talk to Joe. He's a good kid. He'll step up and do the right thing," he said, walking out of the house.

"Mom, are you just gonna let him do this?" Kathy asked her mother.

"Kathy," her mother said, walking over to her and pulling her into a hug. "I love you, sweetheart, but I agree with him." Rita kissed her on the forehead and rubbed her back, then walked into the kitchen, leaving Kathy alone in the living room.

* * *

The knock on the door woke Elliot and Olivia up at the same time. They each pulled on their cabin-given robes and walked into the living room, hand in hand. Elliot looked through the peephole and swallowed. "Liv, it's my father," he said, choking

"What the hell is he doing here?" Olivia asked.

"I dunno. Can you, uh, gimme my pants? The sweats. And you should put something on, baby. The last thing we need is him knowing we're naked." Elliot kissed her and patted her butt.

Olivia chuckled and tossed Elliot his grey sweatpants, then wandered back into the bedroom to put on some pajamas.

Elliot opened the door and said, "What the hell do you want?"

"Nice to see you too, Elliot," Joseph said, walking into the living room. "You're in trouble."

"Uh, pardon me? For what?" Elliot asked, folding his arms over his bare chest. He forgot to ask Olivia for a shirt.

"Is Olivia here?" Joe asked, raising an eyebrow at his son's lack of clothing.

Elliot nodded. "Liv? Baby, come here, please," he called, watching the bedroom doorway. Olivia emerged in her duck pajamas and Elliot stifled a moan and a chuckle. He remembered those jammies a little too well.

Olivia walked over to Elliot and wrapped her arms around him. She closed her eyes and sighed. Even hugs had deeper meaning for them now. She looked up into his eyes and she asked, "What's up?"

"I have no idea," Elliot said. "Well?" he asked his father.

"Serena came to see me," Joe said. "She's looking for you Olivia. She said she'd be waiting at school, and she'd find you at Elliot's."

Olivia tightened her grip on Elliot. "But she can't...I mean I thought she wasn't allowed to..."

"She's not," Joe said, "So if she does actually come within fifty feet of you, we can arrest her. But as a precaution, we moved you guys. You're welcome, by the way. The new place is a bit smaller, but it's the heart of Manhattan and the building has a doorman and you're not on the ground floor, so she won't..."

"Wait," Elliot said, furrowing his brow. "You moved me? Us? Without telling me?"

"Elliot, she was waiting for you, she knows when you're coming back. I had to get you someplace safe. Here's the address," Joe said, holding a slip of paper out to Olivia and Elliot. "It's a two year lease, for Olivia's sake, when you leave for the Marine's she'll stay there. It's already been paid for, in full, so you don't have to worry about rent. Oh, and this," he said, handing Elliot a carved, ivory box, "Is from Frank Malone. He said you needed it, and he approves."

"You came all the way out to Colorado to warn us about this, you bought me and Liv a new place, and you...I mean, you know what I'm gonna do with this," he said, holding up the box. "Why?"

Frank sighed. "Elliot, I made your life hell. I know that. I hurt you, a lot, and I can't take back any of what I did, and I'm not gonna try. You're mother, and her crazy antics, almost got you killed several times, too," he said, tears in his eyes. "If I can keep you, and Olivia, safe and happy now, and from now on, then maybe you'll at least have some good memories of me." Joe went to open the door and turned back. "I do love you. Both of you," he said as he walked back out into the snow.

"Well, damn," Olivia said, caressing Elliot as she held him. "That was..."

"Weird," Elliot said.

Olivia chuckled. "I was gonna say nice. So what's that, and what are you gonna do with it? What could Kathy's father have possibly..."

"It's a surprise, baby," Elliot said, kissing her. "One that you will get later. Now, I wanna see if I can make those ducks quack." He waggled his eyebrows and she laughed as he chased her into the bedroom.

**A/N: Wow! The ring is in his hands, can he really wait till May? What will Kathy do now? And where, exactly, is this new apartment? **


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: A time jump with explination, a romantic Valentine's evening for almost everyone, and a surprise from a total stranger. Life in high school: it only gets better, right?**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© owns the narrative, dialogue, and plot of this story.**

February 14, 2000

New Year's Eve, the night Elliot and Olivia returned from their trip, found the group of friends, sitting in Elliot and Olivia's new apartment. They'd all finally met Charlie for the first time, well, except for Fin. Resolutions were made, and some were broken. Everyone got their New Year's Eve kiss, even though a few people wished they were kissing someone else, and when everyone left, Olivia and Elliot got so much more than just a kiss.

On the other side of the city that night, Kathy and Brian sat in their rent-controlled apartment, silent. They watched the countdown on TV, and then went to bed without giving each other so much as a peck on the cheek. Brian had toyed with the idea of leaving Kathy, but the Catholic in him just couldn't do it, and the thought of anyone named "Stabler," even if it wasn't Elliot, raising that baby made him sick to his stomach. That kid was gonna be a real Cassidy, and God help him, even if it took years, so was Kathy.

The month following that was a blur. Olivia was constantly looking over her shoulder for her mother, or dealing with the unstable, emotional repercussions of sleeping with Elliot. She didn't regret it. Not at all. But now, she knew there was no way she'd survive when he left. She turned over her shoulder to glance at him in French class, and he smiled at her. That smile made her melt, and she gave him a smile back, her eyes instantly glittering. It was Valentine's Day, a day that she normally would have hated, but tonight would be different. Elliot would make sure of that.

As the bell rang, Alex looped her arm through Olivia's and pulled her out of the classroom before Elliot had the chance to catch up.

"What the hell, Al?" Olivia chuckled.

Alex sighed and faced her friend. "Olive, as your best pal in the whole, entire world, I need you to tell me where these morons we call boyfriends are taking us tonight."

"If I knew that, Cabot, I would have told you already," Olivia said, folding her arms and books across her chest.

"Damn it," Alex muttered. "Chester told me to wear a dress. Do you know what I look like in a dress?"

Olivia smirked. "Your mother," she said, tilting her head.

"I hate you," Alex spat, narrowing her eyes. "Find out. Seduce him or something. Promise him you'll finally sleep with him if he tells you."

Elliot, behind her, suppressed a laugh as he said, "Oh, she's gonna have to do better than that." It was a mutual decision to keep the fact that they now had an extremely active sex life a secret. The last things they needed were questions and teasing from their friends.

Alex's eyes widened. "Wow," she said, shaking her head. "You really aren't a typical guy, Stabler."

"Sex isn't everything, Cabot," Elliot said, seriously, as he watched Alex walk away rolling her eyes. He leaned over and whispered into Olivia's ear, "But it's certainly fucking phenomenal, huh?"

Olivia chuckled, nodded, turned her head and kissed him. "I'll see you later, Stabler."

"I love you, Benson," Elliot said, kissing her again. He just couldn't get enough of her.

Olivia nuzzled her nose against his lightly and said, "I love you, too, El." Then, she ran to catch up with Alex, as Elliot watched with nothing but love in his eyes.

* * *

Elliot ran a hand down his face and sighed as he finished his Spanish work and said, "Man, this is nerve-wracking!"

Chester nodded. "I spent three hours standing in front of my closet trying to pick out a tie for tonight. A tie! Isn't this dating stuff supposed to be easy?"

Elliot laughed. "Dude, you're not going through half of what I'm going through. Trust me."

"What did you get for Benson?" Chester asked, writing the rest of his essay. "And how the hell do you say, 'horrible excuse for a teacher' in Spanish?"

Elliot chuckled. "A pink teddy bear, and, uh, a ring," he said. Then he added, "Es una excusa horrible como profesora. But they don't really use the phrase 'sorry excuse for' in Spanish."

"When did you become fucking Antonio Benderas?" Fin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I just, uh, study a lot," Elliot said, smirking as he thought about Olivia naked, covered in Spanish phrases.

"Okay, so, are either of you getting the girls flowers?" Fin asked, leaning over to Elliot and Chester.

Elliot raised an eyebrow. "If I buy Liv flowers, unless they're roses she'll be sneezing and hyperventilating all night, and that's hardly gonna be romantic."

"Yeah, and Cabot would pretty much kick my ass if I brought her anything that girly," Chester said, nodding.

"Oh," Fin said, "Because I got flowers for Mel. And, uh, Casey."

Elliot and Chester just looked at him, shocked.

* * *

"Please," Olivia said, rolling her eyes at Alex. "You know I don't hate you for it, Al."

Alex, shrugging, puffing on her cigarette, said, "I'm just making sure. I mean, I love Chester, and I will never, ever, make a move on Elliot, but…"

"Cabot," Olivia interrupted, waving the smoke out of her face, "I've been there, I know what it's like. He's spellbinding. Keep your eyes and your hands off of him, and we'll be fine."

Casey, shaking her head, said, "I'm sorry, but I really don't wanna talk about you both being gaga over Stabler. I'm a bit more concerned about this group dinner, and Fin being in the same room as Charlie. Every time they're near each other it's like two lions fighting over a steak."

"Who's fighting over steak?" Elliot asked, sitting behind Olivia. "And for the love of all that is good and holy, can we go inside? It's freezing out here?" He wrapped his arms around Olivia and pulled his coat around her, keeping her close, for love and warmth.

Olivia sighed in contentment and said, "I'm not cold."

Alex looked on, a hint of jealousy in her eyes, and smirked at her friends. Something was definitely different about them, and had been for weeks, but she couldn't figure it out. "Where are we going tonight, Stabler?"

"Out to dinner," Elliot said, kissing the top of Olivia's head.

"Gee, thanks," Alex said, blowing smoke rings.

"Are we all meeting there, or are we all going to meet somewhere else and drive there together?" Casey asked, biting her lip. "Charlie and Fin probably shouldn't be in a car together."

Elliot chuckled. "We're meeting there, Novak. And you and Charlie are sitting on the other side of the table. Fin won't be anywhere near you."

"Good," Casey said. She didn't mean it though. If there was one place in the world she really wanted to be, it was next to Fin.

* * *

Elliot was splashing on some cologne in his swanky, new Manhattan bathroom, when he heard Olivia call him into the bedroom. "What, babe?" he asked, immediately abandoning his grooming to go to her.

"Can you zip this up for me?" Olivia asked, looking at him over her shoulder.

She wasn't doing it intentionally, but the look she was giving him, the look in her eyes, was enough to kill him. "Liv," Elliot gasped. "You have no idea what you've just done, do you?" he asked, with a dark-eyed smirk as he slowly pulled up the zipper of her red dress.

Olivia turned around, looped her arms around his neck, kissed him, and said, "Nope."

"Liv," he said, taking a breath and shutting his eyes, "I can't do this anymore."

"What…what are you talking about?" Olivia said, scared, dropping her arms and backing up.

Elliot swallowed, hard, and took her hand, leading her into their living room. "I can't take it anymore. The nerves are killing me, and I don't really want to do this in front of everyone, because I'm gonna cry, and you're gonna cry. Or if you slapped me and ran away, that would be really embarrassing." He let go of her hand for a moment and walked over to the end table near the couch. He opened the little drawer and pulled out the antique, ivory box Frank Malone had given him. "Come here," he said, crooking a finger at her.

"El, you're scaring me," Olivia said, holding a hand to her chest as her other one was taken back into Elliot's.

Elliot pulled her close, and he looked up at the ceiling. "Liv, I wanted to do this after the prom," he said, bringing his eyes back to meet hers, "But the waiting and the anticipation was driving me insane. Please, please, don't freak out on me, okay? This isn't what you think it is…I mean, it is, but…"

"You're babbling, Stabler," Olivia said, cupping his face with her hands. "Calm down, El. Just say it, whatever it is."

Elliot took a deep breath, letting it out harshly. He cleared his throat and pulled Olivia's hands off of his face. "Benson, Liv, baby," he stammered. "Olivia, I know we're young. Some might say we're too young to make this kind of decision. But we've both had to grow up pretty damn fast, and according to the state of New York we're both adults, so anyone who tells me I'm crazy can go suck it," he proclaimed. "I've already made it perfectly clear that I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but now, here, tonight, I want to make it official." He opened the carved, ivory box, and Olivia yelped. The ring, a small diamond in the middle with a sapphire on the left and a garnet on the right, was breathtaking.

"El, what are you doing?" Olivia asked, breathlessly, as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Elliot, trying not to cry himself, slipped the ring onto her finger as he said, "I'm asking you to wait for me, Liv. It'll be hard, but it'll be worth it. In less than four months, I'm going off to the Marine Corps in Florida, and you'll be here. When I'm suffering through years of hell, you'll be upstate in college, and I want you to promise me, right now, that we'll make it. That we're not going to let it destroy us. I'm not asking you to marry me, not tonight, but I'm asking you to promise to love me, Liv. Only me. For the rest of your life."

The tears were streaming down her face, and as she kissed him, she mumbled the words, "I promise," against his lips. That's when his tears fell. "Bedroom, El," she whispered, kissing him. She caressed the tears away from his cheek and deepened the kiss, and said, softly, "Please?"

"God, baby. We're gonna be so late," Elliot muttered, clutching onto Olivia as he picked her up into his arms, and carried her away.

* * *

"Where the fuck were you two?" Fin snapped as Elliot and Olivia made their way to the table, annoyed that the only people between him and Charlie had been missing for almost an hour and a half.

"Exactly," Olivia snickered under her breath. She sat, as Elliot pulled out her chair and said, "We, uh, had some technical difficulties."

Elliot leaned over and whispered, "Yeah, our clothes wouldn't stay on." He smiled as he kissed her cheek, watching her chuckle.

"So, can we order now? There are only so many breadsticks you can eat before they start to taste like cardboard," Charlie griped.

Chester and Alex, sword fighting with their breadsticks, stopped playing and looked at the others. "We were supposed to eat them?" Alex asked. "Would the restaurant pay for the dental bills? These things are fucking hard enough to hammer nails!"

"They're not the only thing," Elliot mumbled.

Olivia smacked him in the shoulder. "Down, boy," she scolded with a wink.

As the waiter came over and took their orders, he handed Olivia a card and a box of chocolates. "I assume you are Olivia Benson?" he asked, dropping a nod.

"Uh, yeah," Olivia said, raising an eyebrow. She looked at Elliot and smirked. "Was this necessary?"

"I didn't do this," Elliot said, scowling. "But I can't wait to find out who did, so I can kill him."

Olivia, her brow furrowed in confusion now, tore open the card and gasped. "Oh, my God!"

"Okay," Elliot said, reading the card with her, looking around at his friends. "Is this some kind of sick joke? You guys are the only ones who even know!"

Casey and Alex looked at each other and then back to Elliot. "Stabler," Alex said, "We'd never do anything to hurt her, now why would you think that?"

Olivia, stunned into silence, handed Casey the card. "Oh, sweet Jesus," Casey cried. She looked around and asked, "Do you think he's here?"

"I don't know," Elliot said, immediately pulling Olivia closer to him. "He has to be, right? As long as he doesn't try to come and talk to her or anything, we won't have a problem."

Chester furrowed his brow. "Who?" he asked, trying to peer over Alex's shoulder at the card.

Alex, handing the card back to Elliot with a nervous catch of his eyes, said, "Olive's father." She looked at Olivia and said, "What did he mean? Congratulations on your engagement?" Alex's eyes dropped to Olivia's left hand, and she gasped. "You're not!"

"No!" Olivia said, too quickly. "We're not. He's clearly been misinformed!" She leaned over to Elliot and whispered, "He had to have been watching us, somehow." She looked up at Elliot and he gave her a reassuring smile.

"Forget it, baby," he said. "No one's gonna hurt you, honey. Ever. Just forget you even got this damn card, okay?" Elliot took her hand, linking their fingers. "Let's just enjoy Valentine's Day, huh?"

Melinda huffed, "Easy for you two."

"What does that mean?" Fin snapped.

"They're happy! They're together because they love each other, Fin, not because they're the only two people in their group of friends who were single!" Melinda yelled.

Fin's eyes widened. "Mel! I really don't think…"

"And," Melinda interrupted, smirking, "I really doubt that Elliot's secretly in love with someone else. Not after he put a rock like that on Olivia's finger."

Fin sighed. He looked over at Elliot and said, "Sorry, man. I don't wanna ruin your night, so I'm gonna go…"

"Of course," Melinda said, shaking her head. "Run away, like you always do."

Fin turned on her and snapped, "Look! I'm sorry! I can't help it if I'm still in love with her, but it doesn't mean I'm not here, with you, spending this night with you as a friend! Why can't that be enough, huh?"

"Because I'm pregnant," Melinda finally yelled.

The table was silent, except for the clanging of forks dropping against plates. Elliot and Olivia looked at each other, then at Fin, then at Melinda. Everyone at the tables around them was now staring. "Happy Valentine's Day," Melinda added with a curt nod.

Fin looked at Casey, right in her eyes, and he sighed. Any chance he had of getting her back was gone, and his life was about to change, forever.

**A/N: And that is how Fin's son arrives! Will Mel and Fin stay together, or figure something else out? What's up with Kathy and Brian? How did Olivia's father find her, or was that really a cruel gift from someone else…? Want more?**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Who was that card from? How has taking that next step really affected Elliot and Olivia? What is Fin gonna do? And Kathy stuns Brian...and Elliot's father.**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© owns the narrative, dialogue, and plot of this story.**

March 12, 2000

"Open it," Alex yelled, sitting on the top step of the school.

Casey put her hand on Olivia's shoulder and said, "It's awfully early to be hearing back from colleges."

"I applied for early acceptance to a few schools," Olivia said, turning the envelope around in her hand. "That way, some of the classes I take next year would count for college credits and I would be out..."

"A semester early," Alex said, smirking. "Playing catch up with Stabler, huh?"

"I just thought..." Olivia dropped off, tearing into the envelope. "I got in."

Elliot grinned and pulled her close, kissing, her. "I knew you would, Liv. And every other letter you get is gonna say the same thing, baby. You're gonna have a tough decision to make next year."

Olivia laughed. "And the first on the list of colleges to choose from is Yale," she said, holding up her letter. "But I still have to apply for scholarships next year. That'll make all the difference."

"College boards are usually a bunch of cheap bastards," Alex said, blowing smoke into the air.

Elliot glared at Alex. "She'll get a fuckload of money, Alex. Schools are gonna be begging her to go there," he said, then he kissed Olivia. "You've been really moody today, Cabot."

Casey looked around and sighed. "Have any of you seen Fin?"

"Not today," Elliot said. "He wasn't in any of our classes."

"And Melinda?" Casey asked, furrowing her brow.

"Oh," Alex said. "She was here, and she was flirting with every guy under the sun, making it perfectly clear that she and Fin are done."

Casey shook her head. "But she's having his baby! That's hardly..."

"Fin doesn't want to be with her anymore, Novak," Chester interjected. "They made a mistake, had an accident, they'll deal with it without being together. The last thing we need is another couple like Kathy and Brian. Married at eighteen, a baby coming very soon, and they hardly speak to each other. Fin doesn't want that."

"Nobody wants that," Elliot spat.

Olivia looked up at Elliot and whispered, "So if I got..."

"Totally different. I sort of already asked you to marry me, Liv. And any kid we have is not gonna be a mistake or an accident. But we're being so careful because I'm not ready to be a daddy," he whispered back, kissing her nose. "And you're not ready to be a mommy. We know that."

Olivia tilted her head up and captured his lips, smiling as she did so. "I love you," she said, loudly.

"I love you, too," Elliot replied, resting his forehead against hers.

"Hey!" Alex yelled, interrupting their moment, "Anymore weird cards from the psycho claiming to be your father?"

Olivia turned, narrowed her eyes, and shook her head. "No, no one but you guys even knows Elliot and I moved, so whoever it is wouldn't have the address," she said, wondering why Alex would even ask that. She turned back to Elliot, saw the look she was getting, and said, "I'm not telling them. Just, please, don't..."

"It's none of their business, baby," Elliot reassured her. "We're dealing with it. Joe's on it, and no one has physically..." he trailed off, noticing a uniformed officer coming up the steps. "What now?"

"Excuse me, do you guys go here?" the officer asked, taking off his hat.

Alex tilted her head. "No, we just really like dressing up in uniforms and hanging out on the steps of random Catholic schools."

The officer laughed and said, "Okay, then you'll be able to tell me where I can find Elliot Stabler and Olivia Benson."

"That's us," Olivia said. "I'm Olivia. He's Elliot."

The officer chuckled. "I didn't think you were Elliot, Ma'am, You need to come down to the station with me. Sergeant Stabler has information for you, and your lawyer needs to speak with you."

Olivia furrowed her brow as she and Elliot rose from the steps. "My lawyer?"

"That Donnelly women, babe," Elliot said, leading Olivia down the steps after the officer. "My father kept her on retainer for you. For the both of us."

Alex, Casey and Chester watched as their two friends were led into a black sedan, and drove out of sight.

* * *

Kathy walked into her apartment, looked at the scene in her living room, and she felt tears springing to her eyes.

"The instructions were in Spanish," Brian said. "I was on the phone with Olivia for half an hour this afternoon...I know you don't like her, but she's the reason I got the crib together and..."

"It's beautiful," Kathy said, the tears falling from her eyes as she walked over to Brian and the crib. She ran a hand over the edge and looked up at him. "Really beautiful."

Brian put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "Do you believe me now?"

Kathy nodded. "I just wasn't sure if..."

"I know," Brian said, wiping away her tears. "We both did some pretty horrible things to each other. But this is our life now, and that baby, as far as I'm concerned, is mine."

"I'm sorry," Kathy said, falling into his arms. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm not," Brian said, smiling. "We're here, now, aren't we? We can do this."

Kathy looked him in the eyes, nodded, and kissed him. They could do this.

* * *

Elliot and Olivia were cuddling on the witness chairs in the squadroom of his father's department. Olivia's eyes were closing as she rested her head on Elliot's shoulder. He had both arms around her, his head laying lightly on top of hers. They were almost asleep when they heard Joe screaming. They popped up and stared.

"What the hell are you talking about, Joseph?" he barked into the phone at his oldest son. "You knew about this? For how long? Does your brother know? No, I know he won't care, he's getting mar...you will do no such thing! You will leave her alone. No way!" Joe slammed the phone down and looked over at Elliot, who looked scared. "You two! Come here!"

Olivia and Elliot, without question, rose to their feet and walked over to his desk.

"I'm not yelling at you, I'm just yelling," Joe clarified, yelling. "Your idiot brother...nevermind. Your cards and gifts have been traced back to the sender. Prints and DNA from the envelopes came back to your mother, Olivia. She's screwing with you, Olivia."

"That's actually a relief. So, we still don't know who he is," Olivia said, squeezing Elliot tighter.

"Afraid not, sweetheart," Joe said. "But the really bad news is that this means she knows where you live. How the hell did she find out? I told you two not to tell anyone you couldn't trust," Joe snapped, folding his arms.

"We didn't," Elliot said. "I don't think we did, at least. Did we?"

Olivia looked up at him and her eyes widened. "El, someone was there that we don't really know. Someone we don't even really like. He was at the restaurant, too!"

"Shit! We gotta warn Casey!" Elliot barked.

"Warn who about what?" Joe said. "If you two are hanging out with someone who's feeding information to your mother..."

Olivia leaned closer into Elliot's comforting arms, something she found herself doing all of the time now, and said, "His name's Charlie."

* * *

"Hold your damn horses," Fin yelled, walking to the door. Someone was knocking, ringing the doorbell, and being generally obnoxious. "What is...Casey?"

"Fin!" Casey cried, throwing her arms around him as he opened the door. "Please, we need to talk."

"Uh," Fin mumbled, with Casey clutched around him. "Okay," he said, pulling her inside.

Casey finally let go of him and asked, "Why weren't you in school today?"

"Doctor's appointment," he said. "Why?"

Casey took a deep breath and said, "Melinda's been hitting on..."

"I don't car what she does," Fin said, shaking his head. "Why are you here?"

"I love you," she said. "I'm sorry about everything. I told you what happened that night with Charlie, and you got so mad at me, we were over, I didn't want to fight. I told Charlie this morning that I didn't love him the way I thought I did. But, Fin, I love you. When Elliot and Chester told me you didn't want to be with her, I..."

"You thought you'd run here and I'd take you back?" Fin said, accusingly.

Casey shrugged. "I wanted to...I need to try and..."

Fin shut her up with a deep kiss. He pulled her into his arms tightly, and smiled against her lips. "It's about damn time, Novak," he said with a chuckle. He watched her smile, then pulled her in for another kiss.

* * *

"He's still out there," Olivia said, looking out of the living room window.

Elliot pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her, and said, "Good. He's looking for your mother and Charlie, baby. He's gonna be sitting in that car all night, making sure they don't come anywhere near us." He dropped a kiss to the back of her neck and nibbled when he heard her moan.

"There's a cop in a car outside of our building, El," Olivia said, unconsciously leaning back into him. "My psycho mother is out for blood. This is hardly romantic...oh, God," she moaned, as Elliot licked behind her ear.

"I'm trying to get you to forget about everything," Elliot said, spinning Olivia around to face him. "Is it working?"

Olivia nodded, running her hands down his back. "Oh, yeah," she whispered.

Elliot chuckled as he pulled her tee-shirt over her head. He backed her up, pressing her against the wall, and tugged down her pants. "Never did it like this, baby," he said, his voice growling. "Something so hot about taking you up against the wall," he declared, sliding her panties down with one hand as hid other worked his own pants off and took a condom out of his pocket. "Taking you anywhere, baby, is so fucking amazing," he corrected, sliding his fingers up and down her body, making her twitch. "Easy, baby," he whispered. "Look at me, Liv."

Olivia opened her eyes, unaware they'd even been closed, and she looked into his crystal blues. He lifted her leg, wrapping it around his waist, and, holding her gaze, he entered her. "Oh, God," she cried, her eyes wide open and staring into his. She clutched the flesh on his back where her hands were, squeezing tightly.

* * *

"And you're sure they won't mind you staying with them? We won't be gone long, Lexi, you can stay in the house by yourself for a few days."

"Mom," Alex said, slamming the car door. "Go to the convention with Dad, have fun. Olive and Stabler will be totally cool with this."

Her mother looked at her and tilted her head. "Did you even ask them, Lexi?"

"Mom," Alex said, smirking, "They're my friends! They won't mind. Besides, they love surprises."

"Call us if you need anything," her father yelled out the window before he watched Alex walk through the doors to the apartment building.

She bounded up the stairs, turned down the hall, and knocked on the door.

"Oh, holy shit, baby," Elliot grunted, not wanting to stop. "Hang on!" he yelled toward the door. He thrust harder, pressing his lips to Olivia's. "I love you, baby," he whispered. He felt her clenching, heard her whimper, as the knocking got louder. "Gimme a damn minute!" he yelled at the door.

"God, El," Olivia whined, "You can get the..."

"Not till we're done," Elliot said. "I promised, nothing interrupts us. Nothing comes before you," he groaned. "No one comes before us," he added. He kissed her, hit into her once more, and they exploded.

"What the hell is going on in there, Stabler?" Alex yelled through the door.

Olivia and Elliot, foreheads touching, kissed as they chuckled. "She'd enjoy it if I answered the door like this, huh?"

"A little, yeah," Olivia said, biting his bottom lip. "Don't."

Elliot laughed. "I'm not, baby," he said, kissing her again as he pulled out of her and pulled up his pants. He tossed the condom into the bin by the door as he answered it. "What can I help you with, Cabot?"

Alex's breath hitched. He was sweaty, breathless, and he had this look in his eyes that made her crazy. "Uh, um, I need to, uh," she babbled.

"Alex?" Olivia said, walking to the door in a bathrobe, figuring it would be faster to stay naked than get dressed. "What's up?" she asked, wrapping her arms around Elliot.

"Can I stay here? Only for a couple of days," Alex told them, pushing into the apartment. "Oh, and some guy at the door frisked me when I told them who I was here to see. What the hell was that about?"

Olivia chuckled. "It's a high-security building, Cabot," she said, scratching Elliot's back lightly.

Elliot closed the door and whispered to Olivia, "That feels so good." He kissed her temple and she smirked.

"I know what you like after sex," she whispered with a wink. She turned back to the couch, where Alex had sprawled out and put her feet up. "Well, just make yourself at home, Al," Olivia said, sarcastically.

"Thanks," Alex said, smirking. "I will."

**A/N: Was Charlie really the mole? What's up with Fin and Casey now? Is Kathy really ready to make it work with Brian? Will Alex behave herself, and how will having her around affect Olivia and Elliot? And what will Elliot do when he finds out Kathy's kid is his niece or nephew?**


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Is Alex coming between Olivia and Elliot? What are the plans for Spring Break? Was Charlie behind the squealing to Serena? Joey tells Elliot the truth. And, a shocking moment between Kathy and Brian. **

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© owns the narrative, dialogue, and plot of this story.**

"Olivia," Elliot whispered, "Holy mother of Christ, baby," he panted, softly. They'd never been this quiet before. Alex had been in their apartment for two days and two nights. For two days and two nights, they had not made love. On day three, Elliot was grumpy and irritable. By night three, he couldn't take it anymore. He woke Olivia up at midnight with a scorching kiss, slowly peeling away her pajamas. She protested, reminding him that Alex was right outside, until his fingers teased her to the point of no return. His free hand ripped open and rolled on a condom and he pushed inside of her with a soft gasp. And they were, at the moment, slowly and very quietly, making up for two days of incredibly Catholic courtship.

"Oh, Elliot," Olivia breathed, her fingertips lightly grazing down his back. "Oh, God, Elliot," she sighed, so quietly he had to read her lips to understand what she had said.

"Liv, baby," he whispered back to her. "Olivia, I love you so much, baby," he said on a shallow breath as he moved in and out of her, slowly, careful to make sure the bed didn't make a single squeaking noise. They were almost there, Elliot approaching his first intense climax while bringing Olivia to her second. He stilled, on the brink, when there was a knock on the door. He shook his head, ignoring the knock, and looked down at Olivia. "She'll go away if she thinks we're sleeping," he whispered, then he began to move again. He mouthed the words, "I love you," trying to remain as quiet as possible.

She whispered, "I love you, too."

He kissed her softly, and just as Alex knocked again, Olivia's mouth dropped open and she gasped, clamping down on him. They came, together, so quietly. Elliot dropped his forehead to hers. "That was amazing," he whispered to her. "It's always amazing, Liv," he breathed.

Alex knocked on the door again, harder, and Olivia, still panting, laughed. "My God. Can't she take a hint?"

Elliot chuckled. "She never could," he said, pulling out of her, kissing her deeply, and rolling out of the bed. He disposed of the used condom, tossing it into the bin by the door, pulled on a pair of sweats that had been forgotten on the floor, then yanked the knob, rubbing his eyes to give the impression he'd been sleeping. "What, Cabot?"

"Did I wake you up?" Alex asked, sounding worried.

"No," Elliot said, "I'm always awake at three in the fucking morning." He was, actually, making love to his girlfriend, but he wasn't gonna tell her that.

Alex simpered. "Sorry," she said with a giggle. "Um, I just wanted to ask you if, uh, I could make a sandwich."

"You woke me and Liv up to ask us if you could make a fucking sandwich?" he asked, his anger rising. "Alex, go make a goddamn sandwich! Leave us the hell alone, man! Do you know what time it is? Are you out of your goddamn..."

"El," Olivia called from the bed, snapping him out of it. "Calm down, baby. Come back to bed."

Elliot took a deep breath, said, "Sorry, Cabot," and closed the door. He ran his hand down his face, pulled off his sweats and crawled back into the bed, wrapping himself tightly around Olivia.

When their alarm went off the next morning, Elliot took a shower while Olivia went down to the corner to get fresh bagels, with her new police escort friend. Alex was still snoring away on the couch when she left.

Ten minutes later, Alex, waking up to the smell of something fantastic, grinned. "Olive?" she yelled, getting off the couch. She heard the shower running, then turn off, and figuring it was Olivia, she pushed the bathroom door open. "Where the hell do you get such great smelling...oh, my God!" Alex cried, she turned bright red, staring at Elliot, naked. She couldn't control the heat rising to her face, and other places, and she smirked. "Well, hello, Stabler."

"Fucking hell," Elliot yelled, grabbing a towel. "Get out! Close the door!"

Alex was frozen, embarrassed and excited. She raised an eyebrow as she eyed him up and down, unable to speak.

"Cabot, get the hell out of here!" Elliot boomed, throwing an empty shampoo bottle at her.

"Oh! Sorry! Sorry," Alex said. "I will be having some amazing dreams tonight," she commented with a smirk as she left and closed the door behind her.

Olivia came back just in time to see Alex walking away from the bathroom, and her eyes narrowed. Panic stricken, she bolted into the bathroom. "What the hell just happened?" she asked, finding Elliot wrapped in a towel, white and pissed off.

"That cow just walked in on me! When the hell is she leaving?" Elliot asked, snapping his head to Olivia.

Olivia, shocked, mumbled, "Uh, Friday. She just saw you naked, baby?"

"Yeah, I hope she took a picture because she's never gonna see it again," Elliot said, turning around. He pulled Olivia into his arms roughly, kissed her, and yanked her pants down. "You need to take a shower, right?"

"Uh, yeah," Olivia laughed, raising both eyebrows at him. "You okay?"

Elliot nodded and kissed her, tugging on her top. "I'll take one with you," he said, turning the water back on to just this side of scalding.

"You just took one!" Olivia laughed.

"Oh, honey," Elliot said, dropping his towel. "You can never be too clean."

* * *

"Kathy," Joey Stabler said, running after her up the steps to Saint Mary's. "Kathy, please, stop!"

Kathy turned around and her eyes widened. "What are you doing here?"

"I want to talk to you," Joe said. Elliot and Olivia, walking through the doors with their friends at the same moment, stopped and stared as they heard Joe say, "I want to take care of my baby, Kathy."

"What?" Elliot spat, forcing Joe to turn around.

"Elliot," he said, "Bro, man, listen to me, this is not how I wanted you to find out." He blinked, and took a step toward his brother. "Say something."

Elliot shrugged then looked at his girlfriend. "Liv, I can not believe that we are gonna be tied to Kathy for the rest of our lives."

Joe looked at his brother with a furrowed brow. "You aren't mad at me for sleeping with your girlfriend?"

Elliot snapped toward Joe and seethed, "You have never, and will never, ever, touch Olivia." He took a breath, calming down, and said, "So no, I'm not mad. I don't really care, actually. I am quite sorry for you and that kid, though. You know she was just using you to..."

"Yeah," Joe interrupted. "I know. But that doesn't mean I'm not gonna take responsibility for what I've done. I want to be this baby's father."

"Good for you, Joey," Elliot said, slapping his brother's arm. "Better you than me."

Kathy looked honestly hurt, stared at Elliot for a moment, then looked at Olivia. "I swear, this isn't what I wanted. You have to believe..."

"Kathy," Elliot said, shaking his head, "We know what you wanted, and you were never gonna get it. It's always been Liv. It will always be Liv." He held up their linked hands, and Kathy saw the ring sparkling on her finger.

Olivia saw the pained look in Kathy's eyes and felt just a twinge of pity. She grabbed Elliot's arm with her other hand. "Baby, we're gonna be late for French," she said.

Elliot kissed her and led her down the hall leaving Joe and Kathy behind.

"Joe," Kathy said, sighing. "I'm married. Brian's going to..."

"You're going to let someone else raise my child? Kathy! I would have been...you didn't even tell me! I had to hear it from your father!" Joe yelled.

Kathy sighed. "I know, and I'm sorry! I just, I was hoping that Elliot...but that doesn't matter now. I'm married, and Brain and I are going to raise this baby. Together."

"Ya know what? We'll let a court decide that." Joe turned and stormed out of the cathedral-esque doors.

Brian, coming out of the bathroom, walked up to his wife, and said, "You told me he knew, Kathy, and that he didn't want..."

"I know what I told you," Kathy said.

"Well," Brian said, "It looks like we have to be prepared to fight, huh?"

Kathy turned to him, shocked and smiling. "You mean you still want..."

"Yes!" Brian interrupted. "I do."

* * *

"I'm sorry," Alex cried, following Olivia and Elliot into the cafeteria. "I have been apologizing all day!"

Elliot turned around, seething, and said, "Keep apologizing!"

"What did you do, exactly?" Chester asked, sliding into the line behind them.

Fin, stifling a laugh, said, "She walked in on Stabler in the shower."

"No," Elliot corrected. "She walked in on me coming out of the shower. If I was _in_ the shower she wouldn't have seen anything. Not to mention she woke us up at three in the morning to ask if she could make a fucking sandwich!"

Chester turned to Alex and said, "You saw Stabler naked?"

"I'm sorry! I thought he was Olivia!" Alex said, putting a pre-wrapped sandwich on her tray.

"Why the hell are you getting a sandwich, Cabot?" Elliot asked. "You had one for breakfast!"

Olivia let out a hard laugh and turned around. "Okay, okay," she said, putting her hands on Elliot's chest. "Okay, so Alex saw you naked. Big deal. Get over it. As long as she didn't touch you...she didn't touch you, did she?"

"No," Alex said. "I like my life. I wouldn't risk you killing me, Olive. And I'd never hurt you, or Chester, like that."

"Then we're good," Olivia said. She kissed Elliot and he smiled at her, chuckling.

Casey, rolling her eyes, said, "So, next week, guys. We never decided what we're doing."

Fin kissed her cheek and said, "The beach. I like the beach."

"Oh," Elliot said, looking at Olivia. "You in a string bikini? I'm good with the beach," he said, kissing her.

Melinda found them as they paid for their food and made their way to their table. "Hey, uh, can I sit with you guys?" she asked, a slightly sheepish look on her face.

Fin looked at her and said, "As long as you understand that I am with Novak, but I'm taking care of that kid." He narrowed his eyes and nodded. "I'm doing both."

"I know," Melinda said. "I'm not here for...I just...I miss you guys. I'm sorry for the way I acted on Valentine's Day, and I'm sorry for being a horrible bitch since then. I just didn't know how to process this whole 'baby' thing."

Olivia smiled softly at her and said, "It's understandable, Mel. Anyone would have freaked out."

"Not anyone," Elliot whispered to her. "We would have..."

"Shut up," Olivia chuckled. "We're not your average teenagers, Stabler."

Elliot kissed her and said, "Ain't that the truth." He smiled at her, nuzzled her nose, and pulled her in for a longer, sweeter kiss.

Alex watched them kiss, and her mind instantly went to the morning, Elliot's body, the way he looked in that bathroom. She felt herself getting incredibly hot and irritated, and she needed to get them to stop kissing. "Casey," she said, "Is your psycho ex-boyfriend really trying to get Olive killed?"

It had the desired effect, as Elliot and Olivia stopped kissing. Everyone stared at Alex. She sipped her soda and waited for a response as if she asked a totally normal question.

"Okay," Elliot said, turning to Alex. "What is up with you, Alex? For the past two months you have been obnoxiously rude, and are you purposely bringing up painfully awkward subjects? What is going on with you?"

"Excuse me for caring that someone has been consorting with Benson's mother to make her life hell, Stabler!" Alex yelled. "She's my best friend, and I'd like to know who's trying to hurt her."

"Oh, yeah, right," Elliot said, under his breath. He didn't buy it.

Casey, shaking her head, leaned closer to Fin and said to the group, "Charlie swears he had nothing to do with it. He says he has never met Serena Benson, and he'd never do anything to hurt any of us."

"Then who the hell was it?" Olivia asked. "The only people who know where Elliot and I live are sitting at this table."

**A/N: Hmm. Was Charlie lying to Casey, or has one of their friends betrayed them? Will the rest of the week be peaceful now that Alex has gotten an eyeful, or will it only get worse? And what happens when Joey confronts Brian, and Kathy stresses herself out to the point of...running to Olivia?**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Alex gets annoying, very annoying. What do Elliot and Olivia do about it? Someone tries to bribe their way back into Olivia's life, and someone else come to Olivia and Elliot for help. Like, it's really their job to save people? ;) It will be.**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© owns the narrative, dialogue, and plot of this story.**

"Seriously," Elliot said, pulling his gym shirt over his head. "I'm really getting tired of this shit."

Fin, tying his shoe, asked, "Is she really that bad?"

Elliot scoffed. "I'd rather move back in with my fucking parents," he said. "They wouldn't keep walking in on me and Liv when we're trying to have…dreams," he said, straightening up and clearing his throat. He almost slipped.

"Dreams?" Fin asked, raising an eyebrow. "Is that what you crazy kids are callin' it these days?" He walked out of the locker room, followed by Elliot, and said, "Alex isn't just interrupting your beauty sleep, is she?" He looked at Elliot and smirked.

Elliot ran a hand over his face as he walked onto the basketball court. "Not really, Fin, no," he said, grabbing a ball from the bin. "Just shut up about it, okay? No one else knows."

"Alex has been living with you for four days and she doesn't know," Fin said, skeptically. "I find that hard to believe."

"We can be pretty damn quiet when it's called for, Fin," Elliot said with a smirk. "Odds are, you'll find that out next week," he laughed. He threw the ball to Fin, just as Alex, Casey and Olivia walked up to them.

"Okay, Alex," Casey spat rolling her eyes. "Stop talking about it! I'm sure Olivia has actually seen him naked, contrary to what you think. Quit acting like you won a fucking trophy!"

"Woah, what is going on here?" Fin asked, giving Casey a quick peck on the lips before handing her the ball.

"Alex seems to think that she's the first to see Elliot in the nuddypants," Casey said, bitterly, "And she's done nothing but tease Olivia about and talk about how gorgeous he is when he's wet."

Elliot shot Alex a glare, then looked at Olivia. "Just tell her, Liv. Shut her the fuck up," he whispered to her, shaking his head. "Either you tell her or we fucking show her, tonight. I'm not gonna put up with her taunting you like that, especially since she's dead wrong."

Olivia yanked the ball out of Casey's hands and turned, tossing it through the air. It went through the hoop with a swoosh and she said, "So we'll show her. I'm getting really tired of trying to stay quiet anyway."

Elliot chuckled. "This should be fun," he said, watching Alex run to get the ball. "A whole lot of fun."

* * *

"You're leaving Friday, right?" Elliot asked Alex as they walked through his door.

Alex, looking offended, said, "Yeah, I think I am."

Elliot tossed his keys onto his coffee table and turned, pulling Olivia into his arms. He looked back at Alex and asked, "When Friday? Are you going to your house from school? Or are you coming back here after school and…"

"I figured," Alex said, interrupting, "That since we're all going to the beach Saturday morning anyway, I would just stay with you until we left."

Olivia squeezed Elliot tighter. "We're gonna be packing, Alex, it won't be a lot of…"

"I can have my parents drop off my luggage," Alex said, thinking that's why Olivia was concerned. "That's not a problem," she said, lighting a cigarette.

"Cabot," Elliot groaned. "I have asked you repeatedly not to smoke in here. Please, put that out."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Okay," she said, snuffing the cigarette out on the bottom of her shoe. "Better?"

"Much," Elliot grumbled. "Thanks," he said, an afterthought.

"So, uh, what do you guys want for dinner?" Alex said, plopping onto the couch. She put her feet up on the coffee table and craned her neck to look at them. "We ordering? Cooking? What?"

Olivia scoffed. "Ordering I guess," she said, shaking her head. She walked over to the side table and started sorting through the mail in her hands. "El," she said, gasping. "Come here, please."

"What is it, baby?" Elliot asked, walking over to her and wrapping her arms around her.

Olivia held up the open envelope. "My mother," she said, "Sent me a check for five thousand dollars."

"What?" Elliot spat, ripping the check out of her hands. "Why the hell..."

Olivia interrupted him, holding up a letter. "She says she's sorry for everything, and she was only trying to get me to contact her because she misses me. She wants me to call of the police and drop the..."

"No," Elliot said. "No way. I don't trust her, Liv. I know you think you need the money, baby, but when I leave in May, my dad is gonna..."

"I know," Olivia said, resting a hand against his chest to keep him calm. "I'm not gonna do anything with this. I want you to take it down your father. Technically, this is a violation of her restraining order, right?"

Elliot smiled at her and took a breath. "Yeah," he said. "It is. We'll take it to him tomorrow."

Olivia lifted her head and gave him another kiss. "Okay," she said, smiling back at him. "I'm gonna take a shower. I smell like cigarettes," she said, glaring at Alex. "You two, uh, have fun," she teased, winking at Elliot.

Elliot looked over at the couch, saw Alex staring back at him with a hopeful look in her eyes, and said, "Actually, baby, I think I'll join you." He turned and followed Olivia into the bathroom, as Alex's jaw dropped.

* * *

"Kathy!" Brian yelled. "You know we can't...I can't afford a lawyer. Joey knows that it's his kid, and he wants it, and your parents are on his side!"

Kathy, near tears, looked at him and said, "We'll get through this, Bri. If we have to let him take the baby a couple of times a month, then..."

"No way in hell is he raising that kid, Kathy!" Brian interrupted.

"He is the father, Brian," Kathy shrugged. "That's a fact, and there's nothing we can..."

"I said no, damn it!" Brian boomed.

Kathy flinched. "Is there a reason? You weren't so thrilled about this child until few weeks ago. What's changed?"

"Kathy," Brian said, "The last thing this word needs is another fucking Stabler." He had ice in his eyes, and fire seeping out of every pore. "You're damn lucky it's not Elliot's. I wouldn't stick around for that, at all."

Kathy furrowed her brow and tilted her head. "You bastard," she said. "You're still mad at him? All this talk about us making it work, and trying to be a real family, was that all just a bunch of shit?"

"No," Brian said. "I meant every word of that, baby. I love you, and I love that life inside of you. But, Kathy, I'm the kinda guy that holds a grudge. And what he did, and who he...let's just say it's a huge fucking grudge. You mean to tell me you aren't still mad at Olivia?"

Kathy shook her head and took a step back. "No, I'm not. I actually, uh, need to talk to her about something," she said, turning toward the door. "I'll be back in an hour."

"You don't even know where they live, now, Kathy," Brian said, softly.

Kathy lowered her head and dropped her eyes as she opened the door to leave. She walked out of their apartment as she said, "Yes, I do."

* * *

"Stop it, Liv," Elliot said, running his left hand down her body as the hot water poured over them. "Stop holding back, baby," he commanded. He had her pressed against the cool tiles, the thumb of his right hand vigorously stroking her clit as his fingers pumped in and out of her. Their slick, soapy bodies were sliding against one another and Olivia just couldn't allow herself to scream, knowing Alex was in the next room. "Olivia," Elliot said in a sing-song manner, "I need to hear you, Olivia." He pumped harder, applying more pressure with his thumb.

"What the hell was that?" Alex yelled, jumping off the couch. She ran over to the bathroom and, remembering the incident that morning, she knocked. "What just happened in there? Are you okay?"

Olivia, recovering from the intense climax she'd just had, was now being hoisted up around Elliot's waist. "Fine," she called to the door, breathlessly. "Oh, God, I'm fine," she moaned, feeling Elliot teasing her again.

Elliot chuckled, low and evil, and said, "Hey, Cabot, can you do me a favor?"

"Uh," Alex balked, still not sure why Elliot was actually in there with her. "Yeah. What?"

"There's a box in the top drawer of the nightstand in our bedroom. The one with the alarm clock on it. Can you, uh, get that box for me?" Elliot asked, a cocky tone in his voice.

Olivia rolled her eyes, both from pleasure and disbelief. "Oh, my God, Elliot, you didn't just send her to get...

"Holy shit!" they heard Alex yell. They heard footsteps and then another loud knock on the door.

Elliot chuckled. "Yeah, Liv, I did. And, uh, watch this." He pulled the curtain back slightly, so that they could see the door, and he said, "You can come in. I promise you won't see anything this time."

Alex opened the door, and she looked pissed. She held out the box of condoms and said, "Here. How many of these things do you two use? You had three empty boxes, and four full ones, and there's only two left in this one. This was a box of twelve!"

Elliot just stuck his hand out and when he felt the box slam into his palm, violently, he chuckled again. "Um, they actually only lasted us a month."

"You went through a whole box in a month?" Alex asked, stunned.

"No, don't be ridiculous," Elliot said, pulling a condom out of the box and ripping it open. "We went through four."

Alex's eyes widened, her lips pressed together, and she turned and left the room, slamming the door behind her.

Elliot laughed as he rolled his condom on, then turned his head back to Olivia.

"Why did you do that?" Olivia asked, stifling her own laugh as she tried to look annoyed at Elliot.

"I did that, Liv," Elliot said, suddenly thrusting into her, causing her to cry out his name, quite loudly. "So I could do this," he said, starting off at a slow, deep, pace. "I want you...Jesus, Liv...to be as loud as you want. Now that she knows, we can rub her nose in it just the way she thought...oh, God, baby...she was doing to you."

"Oh, my God, El," Olivia cried. The hot water pouring over her already hot body sent shockwaves through her system as she moved with her lover. "I love you," she moaned, loudly.

"I love you, too, baby," Elliot replied. He knew he was only two months away from proving to her just how much.

Outside, on the couch, listening to the moans and cries of pure ecstasy coming from the bathroom, Alex dropped her head into her hands. She knew she shouldn't be jealous. She had no right to be jealous. He was in love with Olivia anyway, and would never even look at anyone else twice. And now, she knew that they really did belong to each other, completely. She sighed as a tear rolled down her cheek. She wanted to know why loving Chester just wasn't enough.

A knock on the apartment's door broke Alex out of her silent brooding, and she rose to answer it. Knowing the safety issues concerning Olivia, she looked through the peephole. As she opened the door, the intense moans and grunts of what could only be a strong, powerful climax filtered out through the bathroom door. Alex looked into the shocked face of the visitor and nodded. "That's kind of what I looked like when I found out, too," she said.

"Are they, uh, done now?" the guest asked.

Alex shrugged. "Have a seat," she said.

The bathroom door opened, Olivia and Elliot emerged in their bathrobes, and Elliot turned to Alex and said, "We're sorry about that, Alex, we just wanted to show...Kathy?"

"How did you find out where we live?" Olivia asked, instinctively wrapping herself around Elliot, possessively.

Kathy tried to smile. "I'm, uh, working in the main office at school, now. After hours. Filing and keeping the computer database updated. I had to file your change of address form, Elliot. I'm not here to try to pull anything, I promise. Clearly, nothing is tearing you two apart. Except, maybe, a crowbar," she joked.

"Not even that," Elliot said, squeezing Olivia tighter. "Why are you here, then?"

Kathy looked at Olivia and said, "I need to ask you both a favor. But, uh, there's something you need to know before I ask for it, and I know you might hate me too much to help me after I tell you."

"What's the favor?" Elliot asked, pulling Olivia over to the couch. He sat on the arm, pulled Olivia onto his lap, and when Alex saw the light in both of their eyes, she smiled. She'd never seen Olivia's eyes shine like that before. They were...gold.

Kathy cleared her throat and said, "I need you to convince Joey to keep us out of the courts. I will find a way to let him see the baby, but Brian doesn't want to have anything to do with you, Elliot, or your family. Joey's your brother, he'll listen to you. I just...I know I messed up, and I know I have to deal with the consequences of my actions, but I can't put an innocent child through such a tug-of-war. Just, please, talk to him for me?"

"And why wouldn't I do that for you?" Elliot asked. "That's not a very complicated thing, and it would save me and Liv a lot of grief if I didn't have to be the uncle to a kid who was only conceived to ruin my life."

Kathy sighed, looked up at them and said, "You might not help me, because I told Olivia's mother where you live."

**A/N: What? What's Elliot gonna say to that? What will happen when they all go down to the shore? And another time jump, coming up! **


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Elliot snaps at Alex. Then, their spring break begins, and they hope they can leave the drama behind for a week. **

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© owns the narrative, dialogue, and plot of this story.**

"El!" Olivia yelled, trying to stop him from yelling, "Just cool it! Damn, baby!"

Elliot had ripped into Kathy, verbally beating the living hell out of her, calling her names and berating her, and when she started crying, Olivia began to get a little scared. Someone that pregnant shouldn't be getting upset, so she stopped Elliot.

"Calm down," Olivia said, running a hand down his arm.

"Liv! Do you know what could have happened? Do you have any idea what your mother could have done because of..." he broke off, trying to take a deep breath, and pulled Olivia back into his arms. "Jesus, baby," he whispered. "I'm not gonna lose you because of her." He pushed her away, arms length, and looked directly into her eyes as he said, sternly, "I'm not gonna lose you, ever, because of anyone or anything. Do you understand me?"

Olivia, unsure if she was on the verge of crying out of love, or fear, or both, just nodded as he pulled her close to him again.

"Get out, Kathy," Elliot spat, venomously, as he pressed his lips to Olivia's forehead.

Kathy sniffled. "Elliot, I..."

"I'll talk to my brother, I will, but I really need you to leave," Elliot said, refusing to let go of Olivia.

Kathy nodded, rose from the couch, and walked out of the apartment.

Alex, who'd stayed quiet as she watched Elliot morph into the Incredible Hulk, said, "Was all of that really necessary? You said some pretty horrible things to her, Stabler."

Elliot glared at her as he gritted his teeth and said, "That bitch deserved everything I said to her, Cabot. Don't tell me you don't think..."

"She thought she was helping! You heard her!" Alex yelled. "She was trying to something nice by getting Olivia and her mom together again. She didn't know there was a restraining order, and she didn't know that Serena was sending creepy shit to you and Olive! She said she was sorry!"

"She could have gotten Olivia killed, Alex!" Elliot roared. Then he smirked as his eyes narrowed. He looked evil as he said, "But maybe you wouldn't care, huh? She'd be outta the way, then you could sink your claws into me the way we all know you've been dying to fucking do, right? Well, I got news for you, Cabot! It's never gonna happen!"

"Elliot!" Olivia yelled, glaring at him the way she never had before. "What the hell is wrong with you?" She walked over to Alex, who was staring, mouth dropped and wide-eyed, on the verge of tears, and pulled her into a hug.

Elliot sighed, dropped his head, and squeezed the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry, Alex," he said softly.

Alex pushed Olivia away from her. "How could you think..." shepaused as a tear fell. "You think I'm that hung up on you that I'd like it if my best friend..." She paused again, wiping her eyes. "Fuck you, Elliot!"

Olivia tried to console her, but Alex slapped her arm away. "Al," she said, "Elliot has a temper, you know that. He didn't mean..."

"Yeah, he did," Alex said, sneering. "You know he did."

Olivia shook her head. "Listen to me, you know that when he gets angry he says and does things that he would never really..."

"Has he ever yelled at you? What does he say when he gets mad at you?" Alex practically yelled.

There was silence.

"He's never really gotten mad at me, Al," Olivia finally said.

Elliot took a step forward. "Look, Cabot, I was way outta line. I know you'd never want anything to happen to Liv," he said. "When I'm angry, Alex, I don't think."

"Sometimes, Stabler," Alex said, "I wonder if you think even when you aren't angry." She grabbed her duffle bag and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

Elliot, saying nothing, walked over to Olivia and held out his hand. "Liv," he said, looking at her pleadingly, "Baby?"

Olivia gently laid her hand in his, then felt herself being pulled into the tightest hug he'd ever given her.

* * *

The last bell rang on Friday, and the gang couldn't run out of the school doors fast enough. They agreed to meet at Fin's, after running to their separate places to get their things, and Elliot and Alex still weren't speaking by the time they got there. They chose to take separate cars, rather than relive the nightmare that was riding together the last time they went anywhere together. Olivia was relieved at that, since the idea of spending hours in a car with Alex and Elliot, feeling like she needed to choose sides, gave her a headache.

"How long do you think she's gonna ignore me?" Elliot asked Olivia as they pulled out of Fin's driveway.

Olivia shrugged. "She doesn't have the same tolerance for the asshole side of you that I do," she chuckled.

"I apologized, Liv, but seriously she kind of had it coming," Elliot told her. "She was really getting on my nerves, and I know she was getting to you, baby. The way she's been purposely trying to upset you, and the way she's been flirting with me, it's just so....high school."

Olivia laughed, loudly, as she said, "We _are_ in high school, El."

"You know what I mean, Liv," Elliot chuckled. "We're a bit more mature than the rest of our friends, baby, and you are certainly more of a woman than Alex."

"How do you know how much of a woman Alex is?" Olivia said, narrowing her eyes.

Elliot snickered. "Liv, if I so much as looked at her you would have never heard the end of it. I was only saying that..."

Olivia cut him off. "I'm teasing you," she said, reaching for his hand. She took it and held it in her left hand while drawing small circles in his palm with her right middle finger. "Believe me, I know you'd never..."

"That tickles," Eliot interrupted, his fingers twitching in Olivia's hand.

Olivia smiled at him, not stopping, but instead pushing into his palm a bit harder. "Still tickle?" she asked, knowing what she was doing to him.

"Damn," Elliot groaned. "What did I do to deserve a Benson hand-massage?"

"You love me," Olivia replied, smirking. "That's what you did," she added.

"God, when we stop for food, you know you're giving me a Benson shoulder-neck-and-back massage, too, right?" Elliot asked, looking over at her.

Olivia smiled and winked at him, moving her hands up his arm, rubbing. She listened to his satisfied, relaxed, moans as they pulled onto the highway.

* * *

"So, tell me again. Why aren't you in the car with Benson and Stabler?" Fin asked.

Alex blew her smoke out the open window and said, "I saw a side of him I didn't like."

"You see him naked again?" Casey asked, only half-joking.

"No," Alex said. "Well, kind of. I saw him, uh, in the shower with Olive. I didn't see him, but I knew he was..." she paused, trying to figure out how to explain it. then she got angry. "You know they have sex? Like three times a night?" She heard Casey gasp, then continued. "But I saw him yell, I mean, really yell at Kathy. Things he said were so vicious."

Fin looked through the rear-view mirror at her. "You know what Kathy put them through, Alex. You know what she was trying to do this whole time, right? She probably deserved it."

Casey asked, turning her head to look back at Alex. "Why was she even there?"

"She wants Elliot to talk to Joe about dropping the custody case," Alex said, flicking her cigarette out the window. "Then she told them that she was the one who told Serena where they lived, and Elliot flipped."

Fin scoffed. "I would have flipped shit, too, Alex! Nobody messes with Baby-Girl."

"Whatever, Fin," Alex said, rolling her eyes. "I tried to get him to see Kathy's side of things, then he yelled at me. He told me I would have been happy if something actually happened to Olive, since it would get me one step closer to him. Can you believe his fucking ego?"

Casey chuckled. "From what you've told me, Alex, he has every right to be that cocky."

"You know Stabler talks out of his ass when he's pissed, Cabot," Fin said, shaking his head. "Man, he told me once, when I tackled him during practice, that he was gonna break both my legs if I ever touched him again. Then, five minutes later we were playing ball like nothin' happened."

Alex scoffed at him and rolled her eyes as she threw her cigarette butt out the window. "That takes balls, Fin, what he said."

"Alex," Casey said, furrowing her brow, "Do you think, maybe, you got so upset at him is because he was right?"

Alex glared at Casey, then shook her head with a sigh as she slumped in her seat and looked, nervously, next to her at Chester. Thankfully, he was fast asleep.

* * *

"Wow," Olivia said, watching the waitress put down their plates. "This can't be our food."

"It is," Chester said, grabbing a burger platter and a bowl of chili.

"It _so_ is," Elliot chuckled, reaching for his own burger with chili-cheese fries. "Here," he said, handing Olivia his pickle. "I know you want it."

Alex, smirking, said, "You mean she didn't get enough of your pickle before we left?"

"Alex," Casey spat, shocked, "Shut up!"

Olivia, suddenly feeling more resilient, said, "Actually, I don't think I'll ever get enough of his pickle. But thanks for your concern, Al." She bit into the spear and winked at Elliot, as Fin, Chester, and Elliot laughed.

Alex gave Olivia a small smile, then bit into her sandwich.

"How the hell are we not all nine-hundred-pound freaks?" Casey asked, biting into a double-bacon-cheeseburger. "Look at us and all this greasy food!"

"Well," Fin said, "We know how Benson and Stabler burn off all the calories."

Olivia chuckled. "Yeah, just keep 'em coming guys," she said, leaning back and folding her arms. "We can take it. You know now, and all of the reasons why we didn't tell you are gonna hit us, so let's have it."

Casey laughed and said, "All right. How big is he?"

"Is she a screamer?" Fin asked, his eyes wide.

Chewing on his burger, Chester asked, "Have you ever done it in water?"

"What's your favorite position?" Casey asked, leaning over.

"Hey!" Alex yelled, not laughing. "I don't wanna know any more about their sex life than I already do, and I think they'd rather keep most of it private."

Elliot blinked and looked at Alex. He knew part of her outburst stemmed from jealousy, but he also knew most of it came from her being their friend, and this was as close to forgiveness as he was gonna get. "Thanks, Cabot," he said, breaking the two-day silence between them.

"You're welcome, Stabler," Alex replied, eating a French fry.

For the moment, it seemed, the drama was behind them, and the only thing ahead was a week on a sandy beach, where some hearts would be bonded forever, and some would be broken.

**A/N: Next: Spring Break! What's gonna happen? *reviews containing ideas may be taken and used ;) **


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Spring Break. What could possibly go wrong? **

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© owns the narrative, dialogue, and plot of this story.**

"This room is amazing," Olivia said, looking around the hotel room she'd be sharing with Elliot.

"Yeah," Elliot said, wrapping his arms around Olivia. "It is. This whole week is gonna be amazing, baby. You, me, the beach, and a lot of lovin'."

Olivia chuckled as she leaned back into Elliot. "That sounds perfect," Olivia said with a sigh, "But Chester and Alex are in the room next to us."

"Good," Elliot said, kissing her neck, "if she hears us enough, maybe she'll finally get it through her head that nothing she can say or do is gonna break us up." He continued to nibble at Olivia's neck, licking and sucking.

Olivia moaned and tilted her head to the side, giving Elliot full access to the rest of her neck. She reached back and grabbed the back of his head, playing with his hair as he pecked at her collarbone.

"You love this, don't you?" Elliot asked with a chuckle. He dropped his hands from her shoulders, skimming over her breasts, teasing her nipples.

"I love you," Olivia moaned lightly. She turned herself around in his arms and kissed him softly.

Elliot walked her to the bed, flattening her down and out gently, and he climbed on top of her. "I love you, too, baby," he whispered to her. He took his time kissing and caressing Olivia, slowly undressing her.

She mimicked his actions, wanting this moment to last. It was special, to both of them, how trusting and loving the moments before the actual act of lovemaking were. They relished in the exploration and worship of each others body, and they cherished the intimacy of slowly peeling off the layers of fabric that kept them from complete contact. To them, it was never sex. It was always an expression of deep love and trust that neither one would ever share with anyone else, if they could help it, and it had brought them incredibly close, made them more protective of each other, and it forced Elliot to make a huge decision, one which he would tell Olivia all about, the day he graduated.

Casey and Fin, however, were another story entirely. They were always fast, rough, and at the moment, they were up against the wall in their room, saying vulgar things to each other. Fin would try to slow down, try to say sweet things to Casey, make it romantic, but Casey wouldn't have it. She would shut him up, tell him to go harder, faster, and tell him to bite, hit and slap. She liked it rough, and Fin wanted to give her what she wanted, even if it hurt him to do it.

When they stopped, Fin looked at Casey, tried to smile and said, "I love you."

Casey, still breathing heavily, looked into his eyes, and nodded. She said, "I love you, too, Fin," with a small smile, kissed him, then headed into the bathroom to take a shower. Fin couldn't help but wonder why she walked away when things got emotional, and he was gonna find out this week.

Alex and Chester were unpacking, trying to ignore the loud moans and grunts seeping through the wall from Olivia and Elliot's room.

"So, that's not bothering you?" Chester asked, looking skeptically at Alex.

"No," Alex replied, lying through her teeth.

"Really? Because he's done nothing but moan her name and tell her he loves her. I think that would bother the shit out of someone who was madly in love with him," Chester said, raising an eyebrow.

Alex gulped as she looked up at him. "What?" she asked, her voice cracking.

"I know," Chester said. "I would be hurt. I would be really pissed off, and really hurt," he stated, sighing, "If I wasn't in love with _her_."

Alex's eyes widened as she stared at Chester. "Who?"

"Benson," Chester said. "I guess I'm better at hiding it than you are," he added, shrugging.

"What is wrong with us?" Alex asked, sadly. "I mean, are we really not giving _us_ a good shot because of them?"

"You can't control who you fall in love with, Al," Chester said. "Here's the difference between us, though. I didn't start falling in love with her until you were already gone. When you really started pulling away from me, I started to think about how I wish you were more like her."

"I'm not gone, Lake," Ales said, defensively.

Chester looked into her eyes and, sighing, he said, "Yeah. You are." He turned away from her and headed into the bathroom, praying for some kind of miracle that would help him get through this week.

Kathy walked into the apartment, carrying grocery bags, and was met by Brian. A very happy Brian.

"What?" Kathy asked, trying not to laugh at the giddy grin on her husband's face.

"Joey called," Brian said, chuckling. "He's not gonna fight for the kid. He just wants to see him or her, once in a while, Kath. He changed his mind." He pulled Kathy into a tight hug, kissed her on the cheek, and whispered, "We're gonna be okay."

"Yeah," Kathy said, closing her eyes and sighing. "We are." She smirked, hugged him back, and looked up toward the Heavens. She knew she'd have to thank Elliot, and she'd have to thank Olivia for making sure Elliot talked to his brother. She knew exactly how to do it.

"So, man, where are we goin'?" Fin asked, meeting Elliot and Olivia out in the hallway.

Elliot chuckled. "Boardwalk, bro," he said, watching a glum looking Chester and Alex come out of their room.

Casey smiled and said, "Oh, I like the games, and can we get the fries? I love boardwalk fries!"

"Sure, babe," Fin said, pecking her on the cheek. "Anything you want."

Chester glanced at Olivia, smiled, then looked at Alex. He grabbed her hand, and decided that tonight would either make or break them. he would try like hell to get her to love him, and he'd try like hell to ignore the deepening feelings he was having for his best friend's girlfriend. "Off we go, huh?" he asked, looking into Alex's eyes.

"Yep," Alex said, shortly. She, too, made a resolution to pay full attention to Chester, and ignore Elliot and Olivia. She owed Chester that much.

The walk down to the boardwalk was slow. Leisurely. Elliot and Olivia, hand in hand, were looking at the stars and sharing sweet kisses and laughs.

Fin pulled Casey closer, needed to ask a big question, and thinking that now was as good a time as any. "Case," he began, "Why are you so...I mean, do you love me? Really?"

"Fin, where is that coming from? Of course, I love you!" Casey responded, honestly shocked.

"Well, I just...why don't you ever want to show me you love me?" he asked. "Why do you freak out when I try to show you that I love you?"

Casey sighed, closed her eyes, and looked away from him. "I don't know how you can love me after what I did to you," she said, shaking her head. "It's hard for me to let..."

"Case," Fin interrupted, pulling her head toward him, "You didn't do anything wrong. We weren't together, okay? I'm having a kid with someone else, Novak, so we're on a pretty even keel, here. I just want you to love me, and I want to love you, and I want to take things slow. I don't wanna hurt you," he said, holding her gaze. "And you know what I mean."

Casey nodded, sighing in relief, and said, "Okay. I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. Tonight, Fin, it'll be for real. I promise."

"I love you, Case," Fin said, moving in to kiss her. He just hoped she was ready to deal with the consequences of truly making love for the first time. It wouldn't just be sex tonight, and it wouldn't be with someone who was only using her. He was a bit nervous himself. Maybe he wouldn't be able to handle it either.

The group reached the boardwalk and their first stop was a game booth. Alex looked at the prizes, deciding she wanted one of the large, overstuffed teddy-bears, and turned to Chester. "Win that for me," she said, pointing as she lit a cigarette. "Please?" she added, with puppy eyes.

"Consider it done," Chester said with a laugh. Then he turned to Fin and Elliot and beckoned them over. "You two are doing this with me. The more people that play, the bigger the teddy."

Elliot chuckled. "You should be warned, Lake, I am a whiz at these. When the water gun is in my hands, balloons don't stand a chance."

"Yeah, Lake," Fin said, raising an eyebrow. "Stabler has great aim."

"Liv's actually better at this than me," Elliot said, smiling. "She starts off aiming right in the clown's mouth, every single time. She always wins."

Chester chuckled. "That why she's not playing?"

"Oh," Olivia said, taking a seat next to Elliot. "She's playing," she said with a laugh.

Elliot scoffed. "I thought you wanted me to win a bear for you!"

"I do," Olivia said, nodding. "I'm just gonna make it really hard for you." She kissed him on the cheek, then grabbed her gun.

Casey and Alex watched as the buzzer sounded and the water began to shoot out of the guns. Fin had trouble aiming and was missing the clown's mouth by a mile. Chester had a rough start, but seemed to be doing well now. Elliot had started off perfectly, as did Olivia, and their balloons were the same size.

Olivia, smirking, let go of the trigger just before Elliot's balloon popped. She knew how much of an ego he had, and his pride would have been severely damaged if he lost to his own girlfriend. She laughed at the way his chest automatically puffed out and she grinned at the goofy smile on his face when he picked out a big, pink teddy bear.

Elliot handed it to Olivia with a kiss, then he whispered in her ear, "you didn't have to do that."

"Do what?" Olivia asked, seriously.

"You didn't just...wow," Elliot said, smirking. "I love you," he said, kissing her again.

Olivia sighed in contentment as she nuzzled his nose. "I love you, too, El."

"Hey," Casey and Alex yelled, together.

Fin laughed as Elliot and Olivia both looked over at them, annoyed. "The girls want fries, guys!"

"So do I," Chester said, laughing.

Alex, flicking her cigarette, said, "And when we're done, Chester's coming back and winning me a teddy bear, so neither one of you is allowed to play."

Elliot and Olivia laughed. "Okay, Cabot," Elliot said, shaking his head.

"I'm sure we can keep ourselves occupied while your boyfriend plays with his pistol," Olivia quipped, winking.

"Oh, so I guess Benson's back?" Alex asked, wrapping her arm over Olivia's shoulders.

Olivia wrapped one arm around Alex, and the other clutched her teddy bear and Elliot's arm. "As long as Cabot is," she said, smiling at her friend.

"She is," Alex said, dropping the cigarette butt to the ground. "I'm really sorry, Olive. For everything. I'm not gonna come between you two anymore."  
"Thanks, Al," Olivia said, giving her shoulder a squeeze.

Casey ran up to them and wrapped her arm around Alex. "Are we buddies again? No one's mad or being a bitch? We're the Three Amigas again?"

Alex looked at Casey with a raised eyebrow and asked, "Quoi?"

The three girls laughed, as did Elliot, and they knew that whatever issues they had were finally pushed aside. This week was off to a pretty good start. It's end, however, wouldn't be as good.

**A/N: What happens next? How do Fin and Casey handle real love? Will Chester and Alex find their spark or are they just better off as friends? Is Kathy's baby a boy or a girl? And who shows up at the hospital, demanding to be in the delivery room? Next chap!! If you want it! **


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: The beach, the sand, the ocean, the secrets…one of these things is not like the others…and we meet Kathy's baby.**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© owns the narrative, dialogue, and plot of this story.**

"Okay," Elliot mumbled, rolling over in the bed to wrap himself tighter around Olivia, "Why aren't you asleep?"

Olivia sighed and rolled her eyes. "How did you know I wasn't…"

"I know when you're asleep, Liv. I can tell. And I know when you're awake. I'm your own, personal, fucking Santa Claus," Elliot grumbled sleepily. "What's bothering you?"

Olivia sighed, again, snuggling deeper into his arms. "El, I don't know…today is April sixth," she said. "Two months. Then you're gone. I won't be able to…"

"Stop," Elliot interrupted. "I really don't wanna talk about this now."

Olivia propped herself up on her elbows. "You never wanna talk about it, El! Every time I bring it up, you say you don't wanna talk about it. When are we gonna talk about it? The day you leave, when it's too late for us to fucking do something about it?"

"You're right," Elliot sighed, scooting up next to her. He wrapped her back in his arms, where she belonged, and said, "Why are you so afraid of me leaving, baby? Tell me. Talk to me."

Olivia squeezed him tight. "Being without you, El. How the fuck am I supposed to function without you? You know I'm gonna worry, constantly, and if any hot marine chicks…"

"Try anything, I will tell them that my wife can, and will, kick their asses," Elliot finished with a chuckle. "See, that's one thing you don't have to worry about, baby. You know that."

Olivia's head dropped to his shoulder. "Yeah, I know but…wife?" she suddenly spat, popping up and looking at him.

"Pretty much, Liv," Elliot said, shrugging. "They won't need to know I'm not legally married. In my heart, I _am_ married. We are," he said, taking her hand, running his finger over the ring he'd given her. "We made a promise, and I intend to keep it. We wait for each other, baby. It won't be long, really, and I'll come back here to see you whenever I can, as much as I can."

Olivia nodded. "Yeah," she whispered. She kissed him sweetly, pulling him back down flat on the bed. She was gonna make the most of the next two months, and she wasn't gonna tell him what she was really afraid of. She'd dealt with nightmares on her own before, and when they came back, because he wouldn't be there to keep them away, she'd deal with them on her own again.

The group got up early, almost too early, and packed beach bags. They took a morning stroll down to a pancake house for breakfast, and then walked toward the beach. Olivia and Elliot, as usual, were hand-in-hand, completely lost in sweet conversation with each other. Fin and Casey, trying this new "real" relationship, had their arms linked as they talked, and Alex and Chester were walking next to each other, talking, but both of their minds were somewhere else, on someone else.

When they got to the beach, Fin and Chester ran toward an open spot to claim it, than waited for the others. A large beach blanket and several towels were set out, the cooler was planted in the sand, and the beach umbrella was set-up, courtesy of Elliot.

"All set," he said, running a hand through his hair.

"Hey, Stabler," Fin yelled, "Frisbee, dude!"

Elliot chuckled. "Be right there," he called. "You coming?" he asked, turning to Olivia.

"Ha, no," Olivia said, shaking her head. "I'm going to stay right here, basking in the sun, until you decide you'd rather get me wet then play in the sand with the boys," she purred seductively in his ear.

"Jesus Christ, Olivia," Elliot breath, dropping his forehead to hers. "You know exactly what to say to make me extremely horny, at times when we can't do a fucking thing about it."

"Hey," Olivia said with a smirk, "I was talking about swimming. Not my fault you have a dirty mind."

"Right," Elliot laughed. He pulled his shirt over his head, then watched her slide her denim shorts off, and he may have drooled a little. He wrapped a hand around her waist, toying with the waistline of her bikini bottoms and biting his lip. Then he watched her pull her tee shirt over her head, revealing her black bikini top. "Dear Lord," he gasped.

"See something you like, Stabler?" Olivia asked, smirking, with her hands on her hips.

Elliot, dumbstruck, nodded. "Mine," he said possessively. He pulled her closer toward him, roughly, and kissed her.

"All right, Caveman," Olivia said, breathlessly pulling away from the kiss with a chuckle, "Go play with your friends."

"Then I get to play with you, right?" he asked, hopeful.

"Yeah, baby," Olivia said, smiling as she winked at him, "You do." She kissed him again, quickly, and watched him run toward Fin and Chester. She made herself comfortable on the blanket, in the sun, as Casey and Alex joined her on their towels under the umbrella.

"He is magically delicious," Alex said, shaking her head.

Olivia looked at Alex and narrowed her eyes behind her sunglasses. "You'd better be talking about Lucky, the elf from the cereal box."

"You're seriously the luckiest person I know," Alex said, sighing. "Tell me, Benson, what's it like?"

"What? Being with Elliot?" Olivia asked, propping herself up on her elbows.

"Well, yeah," Alex said, tilting her head. "The sex. Is he good? Did it hurt? I mean…we don't really talk about this stuff."

Olivia dropped back down, flat, with a huff as Casey giggled. "Wow, Alex," Olivia started. "Um, it hurt, yeah. The first time it stung for a bit, but then, God, it was incredible. It hurt like a bitch afterwards, though."

"And now?" Casey asked, wrinkling her eyes. "I'm still, uh, I mean, it still hurts sometimes."

"Oh," Olivia said with a small laugh, "Elliot's a big guy. It always hurts for the first minute or two, but it's the kind of pain that feels so good, ya know? He's so gentle and tender and every moment, every time, makes me feel loved and safe."

Alex turned to Casey, then, and said, "Is that how Fin and Charlie made you feel?"

"Um, no," Casey said, biting her bottom lip. "Fin does, now that I'm letting him," she said, softly. "Charlie just kind of…he made me feel used, and he wouldn't listen when I told him I didn't want to do certain things."

"Sounds like a bastard to me," Alex said, dropping down to her towel. "What did you even see in that ass?"

"He's sick," Casey argued. "Sometimes, he just can't control his impulses. I knew that when I started going out with him. I know he didn't mean to hurt me, and he didn't really do anything wrong…"

Olivia turned her head and asked, "Case, did he rape you?"

Casey bit her bottom lip and shrugged. "I don't know, Olivia. I mean, the first few times, no. But toward the end he got possessive and violent, and I know it's because he was sick."

"No, Casey," Alex said, shaking her head, "His sickness doesn't give him the right to take advantage of you like that."

Casey sighed and nodded. "You're right," she said. "It's over now. I'm over it."

Olivia was about to say something when a Frisbee landed on her stomach. "What the fuck?" she muttered, wiping sand off of her toned abs. She picked up the Frisbee, and held it out to the shadowy figure looming over her. "Watch it," she said, chuckling.

"Sorry about that," Chester said, taking the disc from her. "You, uh, you're really…wow, Olivia, uh, you've got an amazing body."

Olivia cocked her eyebrow, though it was hidden behind her sunglasses, and she smirked. "Thanks," she said. "I think Stabler agrees with you," she added, pointing to a very annoyed looking Elliot, standing behind Chester.

"She does have an incredible body," Elliot said through gritted teeth. "And it's mine," he spat, ripping the Frisbee out of Chester's hands. He shoved Chester back toward Fin, then tossed the disc away as he sat next to Olivia on the blanket. He wrapped her in his arms, kissed her deeply, and whispered, "Ready to get wet, baby?"

"God, yes," Olivia whispered back, and they rose off of their blanket and headed toward the water.

Alex sighed and closed her eyes as she watched Olivia, Elliot, and Chester walk away. She knew that she and Chester would never have the relationship they wanted, or deserved, as long as they were around Olivia and Elliot. She knew that she had to convince her father to take that job in San Francisco. It was the only way to save her relationship, and her friendship with Olivia.

* * *

"Brian," Kathy yelped from the kitchen. "Oh, God, Brian!"

Brian ran into the kitchen, panicking, and yelled, "What? What happened?"

Kathy was holding her belly, her eyes watering, as she said, "I think I'm having the baby." She gripped the counter with one hand, trying to keep still and steady. "It's time," she spat.

"Okay, baby, hold on," Brian said, grabbing his keys. He lunged for the packed bag they kept on the couch and then he ran over to her, looping an arm around her waist. "Here we go, Mama. Easy, baby, just breathe, okay?"

"I'm breathing, Brian!" Kathy yelled.

Brian chuckled, knowing that she was going to be _pleasant_ throughout this entire process. He led her to their car, helped her in, buckled her seatbelt for her, and sped off, driving like a madman toward the hospital. Once there, he parked, crookedly, on the curb near the Emergency Room entrance. He ran around to her door, yanked it open, and helped her out of the car. "Hey!" he yelled to an orderly in the doorway. "My wife's in labor, man! Get a wheelchair and help me out, here!"

The orderly brought over a wheelchair, immediately helping Brian settle Kathy into it. "Call…mother…father…" she panted through clenched teeth.

"Okay, baby," Brian said, trying to stay calm. "Let's get you in a room first, then I will call whoever you want."

Kathy nodded, breathing quickly and shortly through her mouth.

* * *

"How long have we been out here?" Casey asked, rolling over onto her back.

Olivia, lying on her stomach with flattened out arms, hoping to get an even tan, said, "Three hours, fifteen minutes."

"How did you know the exact time, Olive?" Alex asked, smirking.

Olivia chuckled. "My phone beeps every fifteen minutes so I know when to turn over."

"Oh, Jesus," Casey laughed. "At least you and Stabler got into the water for a while. Fin won't go near the ocean!"

Alex chuckled. "A strong guy like that and he's afraid of the ocean. Go figure."

"He's got this thing about sharks and piranhas," Casey explained, shrugging.

Alex looked over at Olivia and said, "You two are really happy together, aren't you?"

"Me and the piranhas?" Olivia joked, smirking, propping her head up on her hand.

"No, knucklehead," Alex laughed. "You and Stabler."

Olivia smiled at the mention of his name. "Yeah, Al. We really are," she said, nodding.

"What are you gonna do when he graduates?" Alex asked, sitting up. "I mean, I know it's gonna be hard for you, but…"

"I'm graduating, Alex," Olivia said, interrupting. "The extra classes, the extra work, it paid off. I'm graduating in June."

Casey popped up, then, and gasped. "You're going with him?"

"No," Olivia laughed. "I'm not running off to the Marines, guys. I'm just going to college a year earlier than I would have. That way we can be in the academy together, instead of him having to be my C.O. or something, which would make me feel stupid. I don't want him to have to wait for me any longer than I want to have to wait for him."

"Wow," Alex said, stunned. "Congratulations, I guess. Does he know?"

Olivia shook her head. "No," she said. "I'm gonna surprise him. Just sit next to him on the field in my cap and gown and say, 'Surprise!"

The girls laughed, completely unaware that Elliot had a graduation day surprise of his own.

* * *

"That's my child! I have a right to be in there!"

"How the hell did you even know she was having the baby, Stabler?" Brian yelled, holding Joey back from the delivery room.

Joey folded his arms. "Her father called me! He's on my side, here!"

Brian sighed. "Look, Joey," he began, "I understand that it's biologically your child. But Kathy is my wife, and I am raising that boy or girl with her. Do you understand me?"

"I just want to be in there, Cassidy," Joey said, dropping his arms. "Just give me that, huh?"

"No way, man," Brian said. "She's my wife, and they only let one person in there with her. It should be, and will be, me. You can wait out here, and you can meet him or her when it's time."

Joey sighed, giving in. "Fine," he spat, walking toward an empty chair. He waited for his son or daughter to be born, and the whole time, he plotted and planned. He needed to get Kathy and that baby away from Brian Cassidy. That child was a Stabler, and he was gonna make damn sure the whole world knew it. He grinned as he found the nearest doctor. He had a question he needed to ask.

* * *

As the gang packed up their blankets and towels, preparing to head back to the hotel to shower, change, and go to dinner, Elliot's phone rang. He dug it out of the beach bag and picked it up. "Oh," he said. "Hey, Joey. Really? Uh, great. Yeah, that's really…what? Oh, god, and Cassidy let her? That's…damn. Well, congratulations, bro. I hope she lets you." He hung up and looked at his friends, grabbing Olivia's hand. "Kathy had her baby, guys. A little girl. They named her Maureen."

"Maureen Cassidy," Alex said, putting her hands on her hips. "That's a nice name."

"It would be," Elliot said, pulling Olivia closer, "If her last name was Cassidy."

Olivia's eyes widened. "She didn't!"

"She did," Elliot said.

Casey and Alex looked confused. Chester sighed and shook his head. Fin's eyes widened. "Man, what are you tellin' us?" he asked.

"Fin," Elliot said, wrapping his arms around Olivia, "I have a niece. My brother has a daughter. Maureen Elizabeth Stabler."

**A/N: How does Brian feel about that? Whose idea was it? And the last day of the gang's vacation gets an unexpected and unwelcome interruption. A time jump is next, too!**


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: The end of Spring Break, and the end of a friendship?**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, the characters are not mine. Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler©, me, owns the story: plot, narrative, idea, dialogue and the computer I wrote it on.**

"That bitch!" Olivia yelled, tossing her clothes into her suitcase.

Casey flinched. "You told me you weren't going to be mad!"

"That was before you told me that one of my best friends was milking me for information on my sex-life so she could feed her skeezy fantasies about my boyfriend!" Olivia yelled.

"Woah, who's having skeezy fantasies about your boyfriend?" Elliot asked, walking into the room. "Since I'm your boyfriend, I have a right to know."

Casey scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Well it's not me, and since Benson doesn't need to fantasize…"

"Alex," Elliot guessed, wrapping his arms around Olivia. "I thought we'd gotten passed this."

"So did I," Olivia said, huffing. "But Novak walked in on Alex, and a, um…"

"Vibrator, Benson, you can say it," Casey said, giggling. "We're not twelve, ya know!"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Anyway, Alex didn't lock the door, Casey walked in, and…"

"Cabot was moaning your name, Stabler," Casey said, chuckling. "And whatever it was she was imagining you doing to her, God damn you're good at it!"

Olivia swatted Casey with a folded towel and said, "Hey! Knock it the hell off! The only one who knows how good he is at anything that would make anyone make any kind of moaning noises is me!"

Elliot laughed, pulled her closer to him and kissed her. "You are so cute when you're jealous." He saw the look in her eyes and gulped. "Actually, no, you're scaring the shit out of me right now, Liv, but it's cute that you're jealous, is what I meant. Stop looking at me like that."

Olivia took a deep breath and relaxed, dropping her forehead to his chest. "Sorry," she mumbled. "I'm just, yeah, I'm jealous."

"Why?" Casey asked. "She's the one who needs to be jealous, right? I mean, you two are practically engaged, we all know that nothing and no one is ever coming between you, and you're both graduating in June, which means you…"

"Casey!" Olivia barked, staring at her, wide-eyed and horrified.

Casey's own eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. "Oh, my God. I didn't just say that. I said, you're both….nothing rhymes with graduating except maybe masturbating and there's only one person we know that's been doing that and I really wanna forget…"

"Just shut up, Novak," Olivia commanded, afraid to even look at Elliot.

Elliot was silent. He looked at Olivia. A slow smirk was being drawn on his face. "Liv," he said, lilting up at the end, "Baby, you're graduating in June? With me?"

Olivia sighed and closed her eyes. She nodded, then popped her eyes open and glared at Casey. "It was supposed to be a surprise!" she said through gritted teeth, swatting her with the towel again.

"I said I was sorry," Casey said, laughing and swatting at the towel. "Look at him, Benson. Does he look mad to you?"

Elliot was stunned, speechless, as he turned Olivia back to face him. He kissed her, deeply, and smiled against her lips. "You still have to wait for June for your surprise," he whispered as he held her.

"What surprise?" Olivia asked, pulling back slightly.

"What?" Elliot asked, looking at her as if he had no idea what she had just said.

Olivia rolled her eyes, chuckled as she hit him in the shoulder, and said, "Just finish packing, Stabler."

"You got it," Elliot said, reaching for his duffle bag, "Stabler."

Olivia turned around, confused, and asked, "What did you say, El?"

"Nothing, baby," Elliot said, smirking. He caught Casey's wide, very-wide eyes, and leaned over to her. "Now that, Novak, is a secret you'd better fucking keep."

* * *

"What?" Brian spat, harshly, as Kathy looked at him from her wheelchair. He was bundling up the baby, preparing to leave the hospital.

"You're mad," Kathy said.

Brian scoffed. "Damn right, Kathy! What the fuck were you thinking? Stabler?"

"That's her name, Brian," Kathy sobbed. "She deserved…"

"She deserved my name, Kathy!" Brian yelled. "I'm the one who's gonna be taking care of her, raising her, loving her! You don't think, do you! Now she's fucking tied to that damn family forever. We all are. But, maybe, that's what you wanted." He looked at her, sighed, and shook his head. "It is, isn't it?" he asked, tears springing to life in his eyes. "Am I ever gonna be enough for you?"

Kathy looked him, tears falling down her own cheeks. "You are, Bri. But Joey is her father. I don't want you to be responsible for Maureen, I don't want you to look at her and resent her because of who she is. Brian," she paused, looking into his eyes, "I'm giving her to Joey. We'll take her on the weekends, and a few holidays, but I want your children, honey. Just yours."

"What…when…why?" Brian stammered. His brain was asking questions faster than his mouth would vocalize them.

"We need to get used to being a couple, Brian, before we can be parents," Kathy said to him. "I'm not ready to be a mother. I want to spend some time just being your wife, then we can have a child of our own. One that really is yours. One that really is a Cassidy."

"Kathy," Brian said, his heart breaking, "Baby, I know you thought that's what I wanted, but…you should have talked to me about this," he said, holding the baby girl in his arms. "I can't just give her to him like that. I'm already in love with her."

Kathy sighed, letting out a sad, strangled sounding, laugh. "I was trying to make you happy, and…"

"Kathy," Brian said, kissing her gently. "All you have to do to make me happy is breathe."

* * *

Fin was zipping up his suitcase when he felt hands wrapping around his waist. "Case, babe, we're leavin' now. Dinner, last trip to the boardwalk, then we're off."

"I know," Casey said, sighing as she leaned onto him. "I'm just…"

Her sentence was interrupted by a knock on their door. Fin turned his head, furrowed his brow, and said, "Yeah?"

"Room service," a low voice called through the door.

"We didn't order any room service," Fin yelled back.

"Sir, open the door," the voice called, sounding angry.

Fin took a step toward the door, but stopped when he head a scuffle, a muffled scream, what sounded like punches being thrown, and Alex's voice yelling, "Oh, my God! Olivia!"

"Baby-Girl!" Fin gasped, throwing the door open.

Alex was in tears, holding her face in her hands, crumpled on the floor in Chester's arms.

Olivia was rubbing her knuckles, shaking her hand, and wincing.

"Benson!" Casey gasped. "Did you just punch Alex?"

"No," Olivia said, shaking her head. "He punched her, I punched him," she said, nodding her head toward the guy, dressed like a hotel employee, who had been knocking on their door.

Elliot, chuckling even though it was inappropriate, said, "She really wanted to punch Alex, though. My girl's got one fucking amazing left hook, so Cabot is damn lucky Liv didn't hit her."

Fin looked at the man leaning against the wall, reached out and pulled him up, and spat, "Charlie!"

"I can't feel my face," Charlie mumbled, his right cheek already swollen and red.

"Ain't nothin' compared to what you won't be able to feel when I'm done with you," Fin said evilly. "What the fuck are you doin' here, man?"

Charlie shook his head and blinked. "Came to talk to Casey."

"Why?" Fin asked, gripping his collar tighter.

"To apologize," Charlie mumbled. "Really, just to apologize."

Fin squinted and backed up. "So what's with the room service shit?"

"I knew," Charlie said, sighing heavily, "That she'd never answer the door if she knew it was me."

Casey, still in the doorway, asked, "Why the hell did you punch Alex?"

"She recognized me, and started banging on Stabler's door, shouting something dumb about me coming after Olivia. I hit her, then I got walloped. Stabler, man, you pack a mean punch."

"Wasn't me," Elliot said, proudly, wrapping an arm around Olivia.

Olivia clenched and unclenched her hand again, leaning into Elliot's embrace. "You have a hard head, Charlie."

"You hit me?" Charlie asked Olivia, looking completely appalled.

"Yeah," Olivia said, smirking. "I hit harder with my right hand, though."

Chester laughed as he pulled Alex to her feet and said, "Remind me never to piss you off, Benson." He gave her a warm smile.

Elliot immediately realized and despised something as he kissed Olivia's forehead. "It's not her you have to worry about, Lake," he sai, sending a threatening glare at Chester.

Chester gulped, nodded, and looked back toward Alex. "Are you okay?" he asked, brushing her hair back.

"Yeah," Alex said, nodding. "I'm fine. Olive, uh, came to the rescue." She looked over at Olivia and Elliot and sighed. She'd wanted Elliot to be the one who defended her, but she nodded her thanks to Olivia anyway.

"Not that this isn't ten kinds of fun," Casey said, "But could we go now? I'm hungry, bored, and we need to get on the road before nine if we want to get home before the sun comes up."

Charlie gave Casey a pleading look. "Casey, please, it took me a week to get your parents to tell me where you were! Just hear me out!"

Casey looked at him, trying not to laugh at the imprint of Olivia's ring in his cheek, and said, "No. Charlie, I'm over it. I'm over you, and I'm happy. Just leave me alone." She ran a soft hand down Fin's arm, prompting him to let Charlie go, and said, "Leave us alone."

"Okay," Charlie said, sadly. "I am sorry, though." He turned and walked down the hall, heading for the elevator.

The friends looked at each other and heaved a collective sigh. "Can we ever just have a normal vacation?" Chester asked, breaking the silence.

"Lake," Olivia said, wrapping her arms around Elliot, "For us, this was a normal vacation."

The group shared a laugh as they headed back into their rooms to collect their things. They'd be back home, back to the city, soon, and there was a surprise waiting for each of them when they got there. Some good, some bad, and some very, very ugly.

**A/N: Next chapter is the time jump! Ohhhhh boy!**


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: A few months have passed, how with Fin handle dealing with Melinda? Graduation day has arrived. Who's going to laugh, who's going to cry, who didn't graduate, who's leaving, and who's staying? (And I took the idea from my catholic school. Our prom was on the same night as graduation) PART ONE!**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, the characters are not mine. Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler©, me, owns the story: plot, narrative, idea, dialogue and the computer I wrote it on.**

June 12th, 2000

"Just a few more bobby pins, dear," Bernie Stabler said as she straightened Olivia's cap on her head.

"Mom," Elliot said, "Please, stop fussing with it. We're just gonna throw them up in the air at the end. It has to be able to come off!" He looked at his girlfriend and smirked. "Besides, she looks beautiful, you don't need to…"

Joey Stabler smacked his brother on the back of the head. "Whipped," he muttered.

"Father," Elliot muttered back at him, seething. True, Elliot was whipped. There was nothing he wouldn't do, or give, for Olivia. But Joey was irrevocably tied to someone the whole family despised, for the rest of his life, because of one silly night.

"You know I love Maureen," Joey said, sounding offended.

"Yeah," Elliot said, "But you hate her mother. At least I'm in love with the future mother of my children."

Bernie, Olivia, and Elliot's two sisters turned their heads toward him.

"I said _future_!" Elliot yelled, defensively. "God, it's not like I'm planning on knocking her up tonight!"

"Chill, Elliot!" his sister, Victoria barked. "No one said you were, we just all thought it was sweet!"

Elliot smiled sheepishly at them. "Oh, yeah, well, that's me. The sweet Stabler," he said with a shrug.

"Yes, it is," Bernie said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Mom!" Elliot spat, wiping off his cheek. "Really, I love you, but could we go now?"

Bernie laughed as she looked at her youngest son. "Look at you," she said. "All grown up."

"Yeah, Mom," Elliot said.

Joe, his father, slapped him on the back and said, "Graduating, getting married, and going off to the Marines. He's certainly an adult."

"Getting married?" Olivia asked, both of her eyebrows shooting upward.

Victoria chuckled as she pulled Olivia out of the Stablers' front door. "Okay, we're gonna be late. Let's get you two crazy kids graduated, huh?"

* * *

"Do you see them?" Casey asked, turning to Alex in the stands.

Alex shrugged. "Only one who really cares that I'm here is Chester," she said. "And he's leaving tomorrow."

Casey sighed. "The only reason Benson and Stabler stopped talking to you is because you tried to kiss him, Alex! Do you have any idea how much that hurt them?"

"We were playing 'Truth or Dare,' Casey!" Alex defended.

"Correction," Casey said. "You and Melinda were playing during study hall, and you marched into their calculus class and tried to kiss him during their final!"

Alex raised her eyes, flailing her arms. "It was a dare!"

"One that you didn't have to take, because you knew it would cost you your best friend!" Casey cried. "God, you don't think! You're so fucking selfish, you know that? You didn't care that she was happy, deliriously happy, after years of being abused, unloved, and neglected. She finally had something that was hers, someone that made her feel loved and safe, and you tried to rip it all away from her!"

Alex bit her lip, staring out into the field, watching the sea of white, pale blue, and yellow gowned and capped students file and sit. "It didn't work, did it? God, I just wanted to know what it was like."

"What, kissing Elliot?" Casey asked, finally turning back to the field to find her friends.

"No," Alex said, a tear rolling down her cheek. "Being Olivia."

* * *

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay?" Brian asked, brushing Kathy's hair back.

Kathy shrugged. "Part of me is terribly upset that I'm not walking, but part of me wouldn't have traded the last three months for anything in the world." She looked at the baby girl in her arms, then back up at her husband. "Thank you for convincing me to keep her," she whispered as she kissed him. "Go, you need to catch up."

Brian kissed Kathy, then planted a tiny kiss on Maureen's forehead. "I'll see you after the ceremony," he said, smiling. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Bri," Kathy said, making Maureen wave to the man she would soon call "daddy." She made her way up to the bleachers and sat down. She felt a cold hand on her shoulder, turned around, and felt the tears welling up in her eyes. "Daddy?" she asked, as if she couldn't believe he was there.

"You should be out there, Katherine," her father spat. "I'm sitting here, at my daughter's graduation, and she's not graduating."

Kathy's face fell. She'd hoped for a moment that Frank would have been willing to forgive her, forget her mistakes, and take her back, but he'd just crushed that dream. "Then why are you here?" she asked him, holding her daughter.

Frank sighed. "Because my son-in-law is," he said. "Elliot and Olivia are. And I missed my daughter. I haven't met this little angel yet," he whispered, bending over to see Maureen. "God, she looks like Elliot."

"No, Daddy," Kathy said, shaking her head. "She looks like Joey."

Frank gave his daughter a small smile, then pulled her into his arms as the procession march began to play.

* * *

"Stop talking to me," Olivia spat harshly, turning around in her line. "I shouldn't even be next to you, but they decided to this fucking thing alpha-fucking-betically, so I have no choice."

Brian rolled his eyes and said, "I'm only trying to tell you that Elliot is…"

"Fuck off, Brian!" Olivia yelled.

"Olivia, look, I know you're still mad at me," Brian said, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Can we just let it go? I'm married, and you're gonna be eventually, so we can be friends without worrying about me trying something stupid, right?"

Olivia brushed his hand off her shoulder. "I thought so, until you called me in the middle of the night to ask what I was wearing!"

"It was a joke, Benson! I was joking," Brian said, rolling his eyes. "If Elliot had answered, I would have asked him the same question. Speaking of Elliot, if you'll excuse me, this is where I get off," he said, moving into the line heading in the opposite direction.

"Where are you going?" Olivia asked after him. "You can't just…"

"Yes, he can," Elliot interrupted, wrapping his arms around her from behind her as they walked into their row of field seats. "He switched seats with me."

Olivia craned her neck and grinned. "El! Really?"

"Yeah, baby," Elliot replied, grinning just as broadly as he took her hand and faced the stadium.

"Aren't you guys gonna get into trouble?" Olivia asked, suddenly nervous.

Elliot laughed. "Baby, what are they gonna do? Give me detention? This is it, Liv! They can't tell us what to do anymore," he told her, squeezing her hand as they sat.

"Oh, please," Olivia said with a chuckle. "Like they ever could."

Elliot looked out and his parents, brother and sisters waved to him and Olivia, cheering and whooping in the stands. "My family's nuts about you, Liv," Elliot said, his thumb sliding up and down the side of her hand. "I didn't think I'd ever be close to any of them again, but you made me realize that family's important. I wanted you to be a part of a big family, since you never had that. I wanted to be sure that you had people here for you, ya know? To take care of you when I couldn't."

Olivia turned her head to look into his eyes. "El, please, don't. Not now."

"But then," Elliot continued, his free hand rolling something around in his the pocket of his gown, "I realized that there was a way I could take care of you, while I was gone. The military's a funny thing, baby. They'll let wives come and go as they please, walk in and out of barracks and bases, wives get called if and when something happens. Wives get insurance, and benefits, and wives get the honor and privilege of being just that, a military wife. You know what girlfriends get?"

"No," Olivia said, tears springing to her eyes. "No, El, I don't."

Elliot bit his lip and said, with anger in his voice, "Girlfriends get jack shit, baby. If I leave, and something happens…"

"Elliot, for the love of God!" Olivia cried, her hand shooting to her mouth.

Elliot squeezed her hand. "Let me finish, okay? You're the one who was yelling at me because I didn't want to talk about it. So, I'm talking about it! If something happens to me, baby, as my girlfriend, you won't get a call. You won't be able to come and be by my side, and God forbid it's fatal, you won't get any of the bonds, or insurance." He pulled his hand out from his gown pocket and held out a small, black, velvet box. "But as my wife, you'll get everything." He flipped it open, and finally brought his eyes up and turned to look at her. "Liv?" he asked, nervous. "Marry me? For real this time."

Olivia stared at him, her eyes frozen. Locked onto his. She moved her mouth but nothing happened.

"Olivia Benson," the Priest called, having made it all the way to the 'B's without either of them noticing. "Um, Olivia Benson!" he yelled again, clearing his throat.

"Yes," Olivia said, standing, turning toward the platform. She turned back to Elliot, shock still evident in every feature of her face. "Yes," she said. "Yes!"

"Yes?" Elliot asked, unsure if she was talking to him. "You…me…yes?"

Olivia nodded as a tear rolled out of her open eye and down her cheek.

Elliot got out of his seat, picked her up and swung her around. "You have no idea how happy you just made me," Elliot whispered to her.

"Yeah, I do," Olivia said, sniffling as he slid her garnet and sapphire ring off of her left hand, put it onto her right, and slipped the diamond ring on her finger. "I'm pretty sure I just made myself just as happy."

"Olivia Benson!" the priest yelled again, staring at the confusing and emotional display below him.

"Oh, uh, yeah!" Olivia said, chuckling. "I should go graduate," she told Elliot.

Elliot nodded. "Go, baby," he whispered as he kissed her. "I'll be right here when you get back."

* * *

"What just happened?" Melinda asked, leaning over the three people sitting next to her to talk to Fin.

"Stabler popped the question," Fin told her.

"What?" Melinda gasped. "Aren't they a little young for…"

Fin cut her off. "Stabler's terrified, Mel. He knows there's a chance that he ain't comin' back from wherever it is they're gonna send him, and he wants to make sure Olivia's taken care of. Tyin' the knot's the only way to do it," he explained. "Besides, this is Benson and Stabler. They ain't been young in years."

"I guess," Melinda said. "But what do his parents…"

"Okay, Mel," Fin said, smirking. "First, they're both legally emancipated. They don't need parental consent. Second, his dad paid for the ring, his mom bought the dress, and we're all expected to show up."

"Show up? Where? What are you talking about?" Melinda asked, furrowing her brow.

Fin laughed. "Do you listen when Casey speaks?"

"No, not really," Melinda said, scoffing.

"She told us this morning," Fin said, rolling his eyes. "The group of us are meeting at Chamichi's before the prom."

"Huh?" Melinda questioned. "Why?"

Fin leaned over, apologizing to the people he was bothering, and said, "It's under the guise of a farewell dinner for Chester, but they're doin' it tonight. Before the dance."

"Who's doing what, Fin?" Melinda asked, clearly not getting it.

"Benson and Stabler," Fin said. "They're getting married."

"Oh, my God! I can't believe Olivia didn't tell me!" Melinda cried, as they heard Chester's name being called.

Fin laughed again as he slid back into his seat. "She didn't tell you because she doesn't know," he said, shaking his head. "And no, we are not naming my son Michael Jordan Tutuola!"

Melinda was too stunned by the news of Olivia and Elliot's plans that she hardly noticed he'd finally addressed the child as "his son."

**A/N: So that's what Elliot had been planning since before Thanksgiving? What's Olivia gonna say? Do? Are Kathy and her dad on the mend? How will Alex handle Chester's leaving, and who else leaves the city? Review to find out what happens next!**


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: A shotgun wedding, and a night no one will forget, for many reasons. One of the side-effects that goes along with being young and beautiful. **

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and characters are owned by Dick Wolf. This story, all of it, is owned by TStabler©**

The last of the caps had fallen back down to the ground, the last clap had sounded through the air, and the class of 2000 had been declared officially graduated. Brian made his way back to Kathy, Maureen, his parents, and her father. Melinda walked, with Fin, toward Casey and the Tutuolas and Warners. Chester found Alex, but couldn't say much of anything to her without feeling empty inside. He moved quickly on to his parents, who were crying happy, proud tears. Elliot took Olivia's hand, pulling her toward his family, all of whom were easy to spot in their pale blue and yellow attire, the blaring foghorns they were toting, and the massive signs they were holding up that said, "Congrats Liv and El!" The signs had dual meanings, his entire family having been in on the engagement, and supportive since they knew Elliot's reasons behind it.

The Stablers and Olivia piled into the family van, Olivia and Elliot discarding their robes and snuggling in the backseat. "Where are we going?" Olivia asked, scrunching her face up. "We need to go home and get dressed for the..."

"Your dress is in the back, Liv," Elliot's younger sister, Nicole, said cheerfully.

Victoria, his older sister, smirked. "You're gonna look so pretty in white."

"My prom is dress is white?" Olivia asked, raising an eyebrow. "You guys know who you bought the dress for, right? It will take me all of three seconds to spill something on it."

Joey chuckled. "Well, you're eating dinner in it, so I guess you'll need a bib, Benson."

"Nice, Joey," Elliot said. "Liv, baby, you're gonna look beautiful, and I couldn't care less if you dropped a bucket of mud on the damn thing, as long as you're happy while you're wearing it."

"I don't deserve you," Olivia mused, nuzzling him.

"No, you don't," Elliot said, smirking. He kissed her sweetly and said, "You deserve so much better."

Olivia shook her head. "They don't make 'em any better than you, El."

"Will you two knock it off?" Victoria asked, snickering. "You're giving me a toothache."

"Did you break up with the meathead again, Vick?" Elliot asked. "You only hate us when you're single."

Victoria rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Ya know what? Fuck Eddie! Stupid ass ditched me for a damn barista at Java Jakes."

"I told you not to date people who's last name rhymes with 'fucker,' Vick," Elliot said with a chortle.

"We are not eating here," Olivia said, changing the subject, shocked, watching out the window as they pulled into the parking lot of Chamichi's.

Elliot snickered. "We certainly are, baby," he told her. "But before we eat, you have to change. Vicky and Nicky are gonna help you. I..." he paused, suddenly nervous. "I love you, Liv."

"I love you, too, El," Olivia said with narrowing eyes. "What's wrong? You just went all white."

"Nothing," Elliot said. "Come on, baby," he said, getting out of the van and helping her out as well. He watched Nicole grab her garment bag out of the trunk, and he exhaled harshly. He prayed that this wouldn't make her run.

* * *

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Fin asked, straightening his tie as he waited in the hall with Elliot.

"Absolutely," Elliot said. "This isn't gonna change anything. I mean, technically, we've been acting like a married couple since her mother..." he stopped, not wanting to get pissed off on what was supposed to be the happiest night of his life. "I'm doing this for her, man. For us. This is the only way to keep her safe, provided for, and happy while I'm gone. And if I don't come back..."

"Okay," Fin interrupted. "You need to cut that shit out. Right the fuck now."

Elliot huffed. "It's reality, man! It's a fucking fact, Fin. I could die out there, if they send me anywhere, and if that happens, then she'll get money, and the apartment, and my life insurance, and..."

"Shut up, Stabler!" Fin yelled. "You are comin' back. I know you are, you wanna know why?"

Elliot shot him a look.

"Because," Fin said, "Every day, every night, you're gonna see Olivia's face in your mashed peas or whatever the fuck they're gonna feed you. You're gonna fight for life so you can come home to her, so you can do what you said you were gonna do with her. So you can make her a mommy, and be a daddy. You're not gonna marry her tonight, just so you can die and make her a widow. You're gonna survive, because you can't live without her, and you know if you die, she'll kill herself, and you can't let that happen."

Elliot sniffled. "See, this is why you're my best friend."

"Don't I know it," Fin said, smirking.

Nicole stepped out into the hallway, interrupting the brother-like bonding the two guys had been doing. "Elliot, she's ready. I think you should tell her what's going on. She's talking to Father Michael, and she's terribly confused as to why Chester needs a priest at his going away dinner. She also tuned the man out when he started talking about the sacrament of matrimony and the Gospel according to John."

Elliot chuckled. "She's not Catholic," he said. "I'm coming." He walked into the dining room of the restaurant, where his friends and family were waiting, and he strolled over to Olivia, who looked like a vision in the white empire waist, rhinestone, emerald, and sapphire studded gown his sisters had chosen for her.

"El," Olivia said, wrapping her arms around him, "Why is Father Michael asking me about prophets and some guy named Isaiah?"

"Honey," he said, clearing his throat, "When I asked you to marry me, I meant tonight. Now."

Olivia's eyes widened, her jaw dropped, and she suddenly looked down, stunned.

"Liv, baby, you gotta understand why I need to do this now," Elliot pleaded. "I want to be your husband, I want to make you my wife, before I leave, so..."

Olivia nodded. "I know why, you told me why. I expected that this would happen sometime this month, I just didn't think you meant right now!"

"Is this a problem?" Elliot asked, hurt. "We can wait if..."

"Wait?" Olivia asked, almost scoffing. "I don't want to wait, El. I'm just surprised. Gimme a minute, here." She looked around and saw all of her friends, including Alex who was standing, silent, next to Chester, who honestly looked happy in a heartbroken way. Kathy and Brian were there, with baby Maureen, obviously at the behest of Frank. "They all knew about this?"

Elliot nodded. "Most of them understand."

"I can guess who doesn't," Olivia said, sadly. She shook the negative thoughts from her mind and said, "Okay, make me your wife, Stabler."

"I can't think of anything I'd rather do," Elliot said with a crooked grin, kissing her.

The priest, though hesitant about marrying two people so young, one of whom was not even a woman of God, smiled softly as the couple walked toward him, hand in hand, ready to make this lifelong commitment to each other, for all the right reasons. Fin handed each of them a ring, and stepped back, clutching Casey's hand as he watched his two best friends leave their childhood behind for good, which wasn't hard since neither one had had much of one to begin with.

* * *

"So, that's it then," Alex said, to Chester. "They're married. They will never be ours."

"Nope," Chester said with a sigh. "It's just as well. We couldn't have made them happy, Alex, look at them," he said, jutting his head toward the spot on the dance floor where nothing seemed to exist but Olivia and Elliot.

Alex sighed as she swayed with Chester. "That was...I mean their vows were really..."

"Beautiful," Chester said. "They were speaking from the heart, ya know? Olivia didn't know she was getting hitched, so she made hers up right there, and it was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard."

"She told him he was her reason for living, her reason for being alive," Alex said. "That wasn't a vow, that was the truth."

"It was still beautiful," Chester said. "She's still seventeen, ya know, and for her to speak so eloquently..."

"What about him?" Alex asked, her eyes glazing over in a haze. "He told her that he doesn't even notice any other girls, he can't breath when she's not with him, he has this aching need to protect her at all costs. I want that, Chester. I want a love like that."

Chester looked at her, smirking, and said, "Well, now that Stabler really is out of your life, you can find a love like that."

"You're really leaving tomorrow?" Alex asked, her heart suddenly filling with regret over the time she spent pining for Elliot when she could have been loving Chester.

"I'm really leaving tomorrow," Chester confirmed, amazed that he had once been so willing to give up UCLA for a girl who didn't even love him.

Alex took a deep breath, looked Chester in the eyes, and asked, "Can you take me with you?"

* * *

"Casey," Fin said, staring lovingly into her eyes as they swayed around the dance floor, "You know I'm not goin' anywhere, right?"

Casey tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, Lake's leaving for Los Angeles tomorrow, Elliot's flying to some Marine academy in Florida next month," Fin said with a shrug. "Benson's goin' to Yale and only comin' home on the weekends when she can. I'm stayin' right here with you. I'm goin' to Hudson University until you graduate, then I will follow you wherever you go."

Casey's eyes widened. "But shouldn't you stay? Melinda's having your..."

"Yeah, she is," Fin said. "But she knows how I feel about you, and she knows that no matter where I am, or what I'm doin', I'm gonna be that kid's daddy. I will just never be more than a friend to her, you're more than that to me, Case. I wanna see where this goes. It doesn't have to end tonight."

Casey smiled up at him, then rested her head on his shoulder. "I never said it was going to," she said.

Fin held her tighter, pulling her closer as the music swelled to a crescendo.

* * *

"So, Misses Stabler, Prom Queen, are you happy?" Elliot asked, still looking into Olivia's eyes, oblivious to the ballroom full of people. If you asked him, he'd tell you there was no one in the room but her.

"I don't know, King Elliot," Olivia said, gazing into his crystal-blue orbs. "How are you supposed to feel when you realize you have everything you've ever wanted, and all your dreams have come true?"

"That would be happy," Elliot said, "So you're happy?"

Olivia, still staring into his eyes, nodded, then asked, "How are you supposed to feel when you know it's all going to be ripped away from you in a month?"

"Liv," Elliot sighed, dropping his head to hers, "Baby, not tonight, okay? We're at the prom, we're wearing stupid crowns, we're married, we're supposed to be ridiculously happy."

"I am," Olivia said, smiling and brushing her nose against his. "I'm just letting you know, that in a month, I'm not gonna be," she said with a depressing sigh. "Promise me you'll come home to me? In one piece?"

Elliot pressed his lips to hers, losing himself in the kiss. Soon, they were both so far gone that neither had realized the song had changed and was now a fast, pumping, dance beat. They remained, still kissing, languidly swaying. He finally pulled back from her with tears in his eyes. "I promise," he said to her, running his fingers over the new gold and diamond band adorning her finger.

"Take me home, Stabler," Olivia demanded, mimicking his actions, sliding her index finger over his gold band.

"Your wish is my command," Elliot said, leading her off the dance floor. He turned, locked eyes with her, and called her, "Stabler."

They left the ballroom, arm-in-arm, unaware that someone was following them. Someone who had every reason to be hurting, angry, and upset. But just couldn't blame anyone but herself. She stepped into the shadows and watched them kiss their way down the street, painfully aware that she was no longer a part of Olivia's life. As they walked further down the street, heading off to enjoy their first night of wedded bliss, three clear, loud gunshots rang through the air, causing their heads to snap back toward the school.

**A/N: Who shot who? Who followed them? Does Alex go with Chester? How does Olivia handle Yale and who is her roommate? Melinda has her baby, and Elliot meets an old pal in the Marines. Ready for it? Review!**


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: A time jump, a surprise, a baby and a breakup.**

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and characters are owned by Dick Wolf. This story, all of it, is owned by TStabler©**

September 19th 2000

_"Don't go," Olivia cried, clucthing onto Elliot in the middle of the airport._

_Elliot's tears fell in time with hers. He shook his head. "I have to," he whispered. He pressed his lips to hers, holding them there. Their tears mad ethe kiss salty and bittersweet. "I'm coming back, baby, I swear. I promise, Liv."_

_"You never break your promises," Olivia said, sniffling, kissing him again, invading his mouth with her tongue, as if giving him the most passionate kiss of her life would change his mind._

_Now boarding flight One-Seventy-Eight to Fort Meyers, Gate C._

_"El, please," Olivia sobbed, her heart and pride breaking. She couldn't let him go. _

_"Liv, come on, baby," Elliot sobbed right back, pressing his lips to hers as he peeled her off of him. "The sooner I go, the sooner I can come back, and we can have incredible 'I-missed-you' sex."_

_Olivia chuckled through her tears, gave him one last kiss, and cried like a baby as she watched him turn his back and head through the gate. He didn't look back. Not once. He knew that if he did, he;d run back to her, and he'd owe his father more than he already did._

She squeezed the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Come on, Novak!" Olivia yelled, shaking the horrifying flashback out of her mind. It came at her at least once a day. She folded her arms, leaning up against her midnight blue VW Beetle Convertible, a graduation present from her mother.

Casey yelled out of the front door, "Shut up, Benson!"

"Stabler!" Olivia spat, her left hand waving proudly.

"Whatever," Casey laughed, finally reaching her and tossing a large duffle bag into the backseat. "I still can't believe your mother bought you a car. _This_ car."

"Me either," Olivia said.

Casey shook her head as she got into the passenger seat. "I still can't believe Elliot's dad almost shot her."

"Well, she was following us home from the prom, Case," Olivia said, shrugging as she put the car into gear and drove. "He fired warning shots hoping to scare her off, but when she stayed where she was and told him what she was doing, he stayed with us while she talked to us. She was really sorry, she was sober, she was...normal. The car is a legit gift. She hasn't contacted me since, though, like she told me she wouldn't."

Casey rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she said.

"Is that your new favorite word?" Olivia asked, smirking. "I leave you alone for a month and you turn into a valley girl on me?"

"Ha ha," Casey laughed, sarcastically. "No, I've actually had time to think for myself. God, Alex and Chester took off for California, then you spent a month with Stabler, holed up in your apartment. Probably trying to get in enough sex to last you a few months. Now, you're Little Miss Ivy League, and Elliot..." she paused, not sure if she should be bringing him up.

"You can say his name," Olivia said, her hair blowing in the wind, her sunglasses on. "He's in Florida getting his ass kicked. We talk on the phone once a week, and we e-mail and IM every night. It's fine. We're doing fine."

Casey sighed. "You would tell me you're fine even if you weren't, wouldn't you?"

"Casey," Olivia said, reaching a hand out to turn up the radio, "My husband and I are just fine."

* * *

Brian walked into the apartment and took a deep breath. "Kath," he called, "What are you doing?"

"Baking!" Kathy yelled from the kitchen. "You have classes all damn day, so I take care of our daughter, and I clean, and I cook and bake!"

"Woah, calm down," Brain said. "I asked you a simple question. And I...wait...you called her _our _daughter."

Kathy turned to him, with a hot pie in her oven-mitt-covered hands, and nodded. "Yes," she said. "I've decided that this little girl is going to have two daddies. We can make this work, Bri. You just...you two have to get along."

"Kathy," Brian sighed, "You can't expect me to...say no."

"Good," Kathy said, putting her pie on the table and kissing him. "Because Joey and his girlfriend are coming over for dinner."

Brian's eyes popped open wide, and he forgot how to breathe. He wasn't ready for that.

* * *

"How much further is it, man?" Fin asked, looking to his friend in the driver's seat.

"A few hours," his pal replied. "You sure you told Casey you couldn't go with them, right? She's not expecting you to show up, at all?"

"No," Fin said, shaking his head. "And she's sure as hell not expecting me to be with you."

The driver laughed, pulling into the right lane. "I'll bet," he said. "Do you know how much ass I had to kiss to get away for the weekend? What I had to do for this?"

Fin chuckled and looked at his driving buddy. "Hey, man, are there any girls out there? Ya know, any tempt..."

"Nope," he replied, interrupting. "There's only one woman, she's in her thirties, and she's a lesbian. Not like I'd be paying attention to any of them, even if there were."

"I know, I know," Fin chortled. "Elliot, man, I know she's gonna be excited to see you, but I don't know how excited she's gonna be about that tattoo."

"Fin," Elliot said with a smirk, "She's gonna love it."

* * *

"Who taught you how to drive?" Casey asked, leaning up against the car with her arms folded.

"Elliot," Olivia stated, bluntly. "My driving didn't do this, Novak. We're in Connecticut, okay? Geese just fucking walk across the damn street like they own the fucking place and take their sweet ass time. I swerved to avoid them and the fucking tire blew."

"Man, Benson," Casey spat. "College has given you a potty mouth," she laughed.

"It's Stabler," Olivia corrected, "And I think my Marine husband did that, not the rich, white, snobs I go to school with. Will you stop complaining and help me down here?"

Casey grumbled and knelt down, taking the wrench from Olivia. "Oh, ew!"

"What?" Olivia barked.

"It's all greasy!" Casey shrieked.

Olivia chuckled. "You are such a fucking girl."

"Thanks," Casey said cheerfully. "I'm gonna use my girlhood to flag us down a few hot, college boys to do this for us, because I did not pay thirty bucks on a manicure to ruin it by helping you change a tire."

Olivia chuckled again and said, from under the car, "Case, just grab your stuff and go inside, huh? It's not a far walk up to the office. Register. Give them my name, they'll give you a pass, and come back here when you're done, okay?"

Casey grabbed her duffle bag and chirped, "Okay, Ben...Stabler."

"Oh, uh, you'll need to use 'Benson' at the desk," Olivia said, poking her head out from under the hood.

"Make up my damn mind!" Casey yelled, heading toward the gates to Yale University.

* * *

"Woah, man," Fin said, slapping Elliot's arm. "Stop the car."

Elliot rolled his eyes. "Why? We don't know that girl, Fin. Let her fix her own damn car. I want my wife!"

"No, man, I feel bad," Fin said, shrugging. "It's hot out here, and she's under the car, all by herself. Probably doesn't know what she's doing..."

Elliot sighed and pulled over, parking the truck behind the Bug. "Let's just do this, okay? I wanna find Liv."

"You got it," Fin said, smirking. He opened the door, but figured he's let the Marine handle this. And find Liv.

Elliot walked up to the pair of legs sticking out from under the car and said, "Excuse me, do you need any help?"

"I'm a big girl," Olivia said, snarky. "I can change a tire, pal."

"Sorry," Elliot spat harshly. "Just thought I'd ask." He turned to leave, but then asked, "Do you, uh, do you go here?"

Olivia sighed as she tightened the bolts and rolled over onto her stomach. "No, I just like hanging out at the front gates of random universities while I change tires. It kills time."

"Jesus, you must have a ton of friends," Elliot said, sarcastically. "I'm asking because I'm looking for someone. You could know her."

"I'm a freshman," Olivia said. "Whoever you're looking for, I probably don't know her."

Elliot scoffed and shook his head, but then he took a good look at the girl who was sliding out from under the car. "Liv," he gasped.

Olivia snapped her head toward him, a huge smile spreading over her face. "Oh, my God!" she cried, leaping into his arms. "El," she whispered, squeezing him tightly. "I thought I recognized your voice but...I knew it couldn't have been you."

Elliot ran his hands over her body, leaning her up against the car, inhaling her scent. "It's me, baby," he whispered, pulling back only slightly to look at her. "You look so fucking beautiful."

Olivia ran her eyes over every inch of his body, and they came to a screeching halt at his arm. "Jesus," she muttered, running a finger over the tattoo,

"That's who that is, yes," Elliot quipped, cupping her chin in his hand and bringing her eyes to his. "Are you mad?"

Olivia shook her head, then dropped it to his. "It's fucking hot, El," she said, biting her lip. "I missed you," she whispered. "So fucking much."

"I missed you, too, baby," Elliot whispered back, pressing his lips to hers, finally, pulling close for a deep, long kiss.

* * *

"So, that's the plan," Kathy stated, bluntly.

Joey looked from Kathy to Brian, over to his girlfriend who didn't exactly look thrilled to be there, and back to Kathy. "That, uh, sounds so simple."

"It is," Brian said. "She'll know you're her father, biologically. She'll know her grandparents, and her Aunt Nicky, and Aunt Vicky, Uncle Elliot and Aunt..." he paused, sucking in a breath, afraid to say her name. "Olivia," he continued. "But she's also going to know that I'm her daddy. She'll know my parents as her grandparents, too. My sister and brother are her aunt and uncle, too. She's got a big family."

Joey sighed, and shook his head, saying, "What if I want to be the daddy?"

"Joey," Kathy said, lowering her eyes, "You have to know that I never intended for it to be you in the first place. Can we just...make it work?"

"Yeah," Joey said with a hefty sigh. I guess so." He looked at his girlfriend, then over at the bassinet, holding his sleeping daughter. The only way he'd feel less attached to Maureen, is if he had a child to call his own, with no one else standing in the way.

* * *

"You've only been out here for a few weeks, Alex, I mean really?" Misses Cabot hisses, hauling her daughter's luggage into the waiting taxi. "You wanted this."

"I know, Mom," Alex said, sniffling, "But I was running away from my problems. I have to go back there and face them. Be an adult."

"I guess I should at least be proud of you for that," her mother said with a sigh, getting into the backseat with her. "When we get home, you're going right to the school and registering for classes. You're not missing your senior year."

"Yes, Mom," Alex said, robotically.

"Did you say goodbye to Chester?" her mother asked, raising an eyebrow.

Alex nodded. "Yes, Mom," she said, softly. She didn't, but he would get the note when he woke up in the morning. It was lying on her empty pillow.

* * *

"So, you're telling me that she just brought you to the lot and said pick one, paid for it, and walked out of your life? Just like that?" Elliot asked, shocked, brushing Olivia's hair back as she leaned into him on her couch.

Olivia nodded. "Pretty crazy, right?" she asked, kissing Elliot.

Casey, her arms wrapped around Fin, said, "Your mother? Yeah, she is."

"Case," Fin chuckled. "Be nice, okay? The fruit basket bought Baby-Girl a Bug. Convertible. It's a hot car for a college co-ed."

"A _married_ college co-ed," Olivia said, nuzzling herself into Elliot's neck, nibbling on it, making him moan a bit.

"Baby," Elliot groaned. "You need to stop. We aren't alone here, Liv."

"Let 'em watch," Olivia whispered.

"Liv!" Elliot laughed.

Fin chuckled at the scene as his cell phone rang. "Hold up," he said to the small group in Olivia's apartment, pulling out his phone. "Hey, Mister...oh, my God! Yeah, she's with me. We'll be right there!" he yelled, hanging up and shoving the phone in his pocket. "Elliot, man, we need the truck!"

Elliot raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Melinda just went into labor," Fin spat.

Saying nothing, Elliot tossed Fin the keys. "Scratch it and die," he said, "And drop it off by my parents when you're done with it."

Fin pulled Casey out of the room, grabbing their bags on the way.

"Wow," Elliot said, shaking his head. "Fin's gonna be a father. Sucks that it had to happen this weekend, though."

"Yeah," Olivia sighed. "But I'm kinda glad they're gone," she said, smirking viciously at Elliot.

"Oh, baby," Elliot said with a smirk, scooping her up into his arms and getting up off of the couch. "So am I, Liv." he carried her into her bedroom, laying her down, and began to peel off her clothes. "So am I."

**A/N: Is Fin's baby a boy or a girl? Who walks into Joey's life and sweeps him off of his feet? Did Serena have ulterior motives in giving Olivia the car? And what happens when he goes back to the base and meets his new C. O? Want to know?**


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N: Elliot leaves, again. Melinda and Fin's baby arrives. Alex comes home to a surprise.**

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and characters are owned by Dick Wolf. This story, all of it, is owned by TStabler©**

"I can't believe you're leaving again," Olivia whispered into to the darkness, clutching Elliot's naked body to hers tightly.

Elliot sighed, pulling her impossibly close. "Not until eight, baby," he whispered to her, kissing her. "We have all day. You don't have any classes today, and I'm only here to be with you."

Olivia nuzzled into his chest, her hand resting on his new Heavenly ink. "That's only gonna make it harder to say goodbye," she mumbled.

"I'm not saying goodbye, Liv," Elliot said, kissing her again.

Olivia chuckled. "I know, I know. You're only saying 'See ya later, baby.' You told me."

"I love you," Elliot declared, looking deeply into her eyes. "Please, never forget that."

"I don't think you'll ever let me," Olivia said with a smirk. "And I'm never gonna let you forget how much I love you."

Elliot grinned smugly and asked, "And just how do you plan on reminding me?"

Olivia wrapped her legs around him and pulled herself up, straddling him. She reached over to the nightstand and opened the drawer, pulling out a condom. "I shouldn't have to remind you," she said, her eyes narrowing. "You should just know."

Elliot groaned, watching her use her teeth to unwrap it. "I do know, baby. I know you love me," he said, his eyes squeezing shut as Olivia rolled the latex onto him.

"I know you love me," Olivia returned, grimacing slightly as she eased herself onto him. "Oh, God, El," she moaned.

"Liv, baby," Elliot grunted, thrusting up. "God, you feel like Heaven."

Olivia chuckled and she rotated her hips, earning a moan from her lover. "Says the Marine with Jesus on his arm."

"Who better to know what Heaven is like?" Elliot asked, grabbing Olivia's ass and flipping them over. "Physical training, Liv. I'm a fuck load stronger than I was three months ago."

Olivia moaned as Elliot hit into her harder. "Shit, Elliot! I...realized that the minute...oh, God, damn, El...you took your shirt off."

Elliot grunted, hammering into Olivia, sounding unintelligible for a minute, then it became clear. "God, Liv...love you...oh, Liv." He grabbed one of her legs and lifted, pulling it up and bending it, going harder, deeper.

Olivia snaked her hands up his arms, squeezing, her nails digging into them. "Love you...El, baby. Don't stop," she cried, looking into his eyes.

"Never," Elliot whispered, bending forward to kiss her.

They'd have to stop, eventually. He'd have to leave, eventually. But he'd come back. Eventually.

* * *

"Kathy," Brian said, cradling a sleeping Maureen, "Listen, uh, I know you're upset about missing out on college, but, uh, I kinda have an idea."

Kathy looked up from her magazine and looked at him. "And what's that?"

"Maybe, uh," Brian paused, knowing he was about to give his wife a heart attack. "Maybe Joey could watch her, a few day a week, so you could take classes at the Furler Institute. Their nursing program is..."

"What?" Kathy asked, stunned. "You want to willingly give her to..."

"For a few hours a day, Kath," Brian said. "You'd feel better about yourself, and you'd have a career. I know you, and I know you don't want to feel like having this baby and marrying me ruined your life." He looked at her and sighed. "I don't wanna feel like that, either."

Kathy rose off the couch and wrapped her husband and daughter in her arms. "You and Maureen, it took me a while to realize this, are the best things that have ever happened to me. This only proves it."

* * *

"He's beautiful," Casey cooed, leaning over Fin, who was holding a tiny bundle wrapped in a blue blanket. "What's his name?"

Fin, a huge smile on his face and tears in his eyes, said, "Kenneth Sean Tutuola." he rocked the baby in his arms, kissed his forehead, then looked over and Melinda and said, "Thank you, Mel."

"For what, Fin?" a tired, exhausted, Melinda asked.

"Having my baby," Fin said. He looked up at Casey and said, "Thank you, too, babe."

Casey furrowed her brow, and asked, "What did I do?"

Fin kissed her and said, "You loved me, even when I..."

"Fin," Casey interrupted, "You did the same damn thing." She brushed the back of her finger over his cheek and said, "And I didn't deserve it."

Fin caught her finger as it brushed over her lips and he kissed it, softly. "You did, Case."

Melinda looked on from her hospital bed and smiled, knowing how happy Fin was, seeing him with their child, and she closed her eyes, drifting off into a much needed slumber.

* * *

"Dad," Alex called, walking into her house. "Daddy?"

"He's in the bathroom," a male voice from her couch informed.

Alex spun around at the sound and gasped. "Elliot?"

"Uh, no," the guy said. "I'm his brother, Joey. I, uh, got a haircut, and shaved. It's me, Alex."

"Oh, my God!" Alex cried. "What are you doing here?"

Joey twisted his lips to one side, and he sniffled. "I needed a lawyer, and your dad is the best, so…"

"Wait," Alex interrupted. "I thought you weren't going after custody of Maureen."

"I'm not," Joey said. He hung his head and lifted his left hand. "I want a divorce."

Alex's eyes widened, then narrowed, and she smirked. With this new haircut, he did look a lot like Elliot. And clearly, he was single.

* * *

Olivia had her arms wrapped around Elliot, her lips attached to his. She pulled away, slowly, and rested her head against his. "Here we are again," she said.

"Yeah," Elliot said. "I hate airports, I hate Florida, and I hate leaving you."

Olivia sniffled, fighting back her tears, and said, "I hate it all, too, El. But I love when you come back. We had some pretty amazing 'I-missed-you' sex."

"When I come home, for good, we're having more of it, and we're starting our family," he declared proudly. "My parents will watch the kids when we're at the academy, or at work, and I…"

"Slow down, Tonto," Olivia said, her eyes wide.

"Liv," Elliot said, looking into her eyes, his own turning red with the refusal to cry, "When I come home, when you're done with school, I…I want a baby. I want to be a daddy."

Olivia was stunned, speechless. "Why didn't you tell me before? El, we could have…I wouldn't have used…what if you don't…"

"Liv," Elliot interrupted. "We are not ready for kids right now. I want to be there for you, and the baby, not away at some military training facility for the first three months, then God forbid I get deployed! And I'm coming back. I swear to God, I promise, I'm coming home."

They heard the boarding call for his flight, and they kissed, breaking the hearts of everyone watching. Elliot, in his uniform, held onto Olivia for dear life. Finally letting go, he wiped his eyes and ran down the gate, afraid, for the first time, that he may have just lied to Olivia.

His flight landed at close to eleven, and he got back to the base at eleven-thirty. He walked to his bunk, opened the door, immediately ran to the bathroom and changed, and then collapsed into his bed.

"Rough trip home, Stabler?" his bunkmate asked.

Elliot grunted as he nodded.

"This is your wife, huh?" his buddy said, holding up a framed prom-slash-wedding photo.

"Yeah," Elliot said, smiling. "Gorgeous isn't she?"

"She really is, man," the guy said, putting the frame back down. He crawled into his own bed and said, "Night, Stabler."

Elliot looked at the photo on his nightstand, smiling at Olivia's face. He sighed, turned out the light, and said, "Goodnight, Porter."

**A/N: His bunkmate is Dean! Ack! Next chap, how does Olivia handle classes, life without Elliot, and being hit on by the third year in her legal studies class? Who did Joey marry, and what will Alex do when he's divorced? Will she even wit that long? Review! I'll tell you!**


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N: Elliot gets a surprising offer from his bunkmate, Olivia gets a surprising offer from a classmate, Melinda and Alex start plotting evil things, and a new, old face appears!**

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and characters are owned by Dick Wolf. This story, all of it, is owned by TStabler©**

"Man," Porter said, rubbing the sweat from his brow as he hoisted himself over the bar again, "Your wife is hot."

"Yeah, she is," Elliot said, grunting as he, too, did another chin-up.

Porter grunted, then asked, "When did you get married?"

Elliot smiled as he did another set, and said, "June Twelfth."

"You're, like, newlyweds, man," Porter said, chuckling as he pulled himself up.

Elliot grunted affirmatively. "We were practically married anyway, ya know? We lived together. We were together for a year, she's been my best friend for three, she's everything to me."

"You miss her?" Porter asked, stopping his chin-ups, dropping to the ground, and glancing at Elliot.

Elliot dropped down then, too, panting. "So much it hurts," Elliot said.

"You wanna go home?" Porter asked, taking a towel off of the shelf and wiping his face.

"I'd kill to go home to her, man," Elliot said. "Got eight more weeks of this shit, and then I have to pray they don't..."

"They won't," Porter said. "I'll make a phone call. Stabler, how are you with computers?"

Elliot shrugged. "I know my way around a CPU, why?"

"I can get you home to that sexy, little girl of yours," Porter said. "You tell me where you wanna go and I can guarantee you'll do most of your training there, and serve your year behind a desk. I can't promise you'll _never_ see combat, but I can..."

"How the hell can you possibly make that kind of offer?" Elliot asked, interrupting. "And why would you do that for me?"

Porter smirked and slapped Elliot on the back. "I have connections," he said. "I'm doing this because I see in your eyes what I know would be in mine if I had a girl like that waiting for me. We're Marines, Stabler. We have to stick together. Semper Fi. And you'll pay me back one day, with interest." He walked away, leaving Elliot stunned, and a bit concerned.

He didn't know when, or how, he'd pay Porter back.

* * *

"That's not necessarily the case," Olivia said, talking back to her Legal Studies professor. "Three to four percent of all sex crimes are committed by women, and one-third of those cases are violent, resulting in death of the perp, the victim, or both. Women can be just as perverse and impulsive as men."

"What is your name?" the professor asked, checking her roll book.

"Benson," Olivia said. "Olivia Benson."

The professor smirked. "You know that how, exactly?"

"I did a lot of research," Olivia responded, not about to tell her entire freshman class that she was not only the product of a rape, but the result of abusive parenting, prompting her to read a thousand books on sex crimes, child advocacy laws, and legal procedures.

The professor tilted her head and asked, "Can you give me an example of a case, that went to trial, where the, uh, you called it a perp?"

Olivia paled a bit. Her husband's dad was a cop, and she had her share of run-ins with detectives. She didn't want to explain how she knew the cop-lingo. "Perp. Yeah. Perpetrator, predator, criminal."

"Right," the professor chuckled. "Cite a case where the perp was a woman."

"The State of New York versus Gail Farrell," Olivia said, without hesitation. "She was tried, and ultimately convicted, for the rape and murder of a sixteen year old boy. She met him in her English class."

Again, the professor smirked. "Impressive, Benson." She made a mental note to make a phone call to a friend of hers regarding this very smart girl.

Olivia nodded shyly, trying not to notice the guy next to her, staring. "Thanks, Professor Donnelly."

"That _was_ impressive," the young man next to her said, smirking at her. "I'm Trevor," he told her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders

"I'm married," Olivia said, pushing his arm off of her back. "Happily married, to a U.S. Marine."

"Wow," Trevor said. "I really know how to pick 'em, don't I?" he laughed. "Will he kick my ass if I took you to dinner? Just as friends. I swear, I won't hit on you again."

"He won't," Olivia said, her smirk still in place, "But I might."

Trevor chuckled, then turned back to the front of the class. He liked this girl. He really liked this girl.

* * *

"You Stabler?" the commanding general asked, as Elliot walked into his office.

"Yes, Sir," Elliot replied, saluting.

The general smirked. "At ease," he said. "You're being deployed, Stabler."

"What?" Elliot spat. "How? I'm not even done..."

"Relax," the general said, holding up a hand. "Marine-talk for transferred. Your new training facility's in Connecticut, The Marine Academy of New Haven. They expect you to be a part of their PFC ranks at Oh-Five-Hundred. Your flight leaves in an hour and thirty minutes."

"New Haven?" Elliot asked, smirking. "Liv," he whispered.

"Did you just call me 'live,' Private?" the general asked, confused.

"No, Sir," Elliot said, stifling a chuckle. "Why am I being sent to New Haven, Sir?"

The general looked Elliot in the eyes. "Federal orders, Private Stabler. Go pack, and take Porter with you. He's going with you."

* * *

"So you and Shauna got married because you had a sudden urge to procreate?" Alex asked Joey, puffing on a cigarette, outside of a pizza place.

Joey nodded, inhaling on his own stick. "Crazy right?" he asked. "I keep looking at Maureen, and I know she's mine, but she's not mine. Does that make sense?"

"You're her father, but Brian's gonna be the daddy," Alex said, flicking her ashes onto the pavement.

"Exactly," Joey said. "When we got back from the courthouse and she saw the certificate in her hands, Shauna freaked. Started yelling about how she was just overcome with the excitement and spontaneity of it, and she didn't really wanna marry me."

"Who wouldn't wanna marry you?" Alex asked, flicking her cigarette. "You're gorgeous, you're intelligent, you're..."

"Not Elliot," Joey interrupted, blowing smoke out of his mouth and smirking accusingly at Alex.

Alex balked. "I never said you were," she said.

"You're only hanging out with me, trying to get close, because you missed your chance with my brother, right?" Joey said, his words stinging.

"At first," Alex said, "Yeah, but now that I know you're nothing like him, I actually like you a lot more than I ever liked him."

"Liar," Joey spat with a chuckle.

Alex shook her head and stepped closer to him. "I'm not lying."

Joey raised an eyebrow, smirked, and stepped toward her. "Prove it," he whispered.

Alex smirked, tossed her cigarette over her shoulder, and wrapped her arms around Joey's neck. She kissed him, trying very hard not to pretend he was Elliot.

* * *

"How the hell am I supposed to get any sleep with that boy crying like that?" Melinda yelled from her bed.

Her mother, rocking the baby boy in her arms, said, "You're not, Melinda. He's a baby, you're his mother, and you will never sleep again. Congratulations."

Melinda whined as she got out of the bed. "Fin should have to get his ass up at three in the morning, too."

"You should have thought about that before you let him off the hook," her mother said. "Welcome to single motherhood, Melinda." She handed her daughter the baby, kissed them both on the head and left the room.

Looking down at her son, Melinda sighed. "I'm sorry I messed things up with your daddy, Ken," she whispered to him. "I'll fix it, I promise."

* * *

Olivia walked into her apartment at nine-thirty, after a less than enjoyable dinner with Trevor. She sat at her laptop, typed in her password, and logged into the chatroom she usually found Elliot in, hoping to talk to him. She missed him terribly. She drummed her fingers, waiting impatiently, until she saw his name pop up on the room's list. She didn't have to click on it, he got to her first.

USMCSTABLER1020: I miss you.

LivEl61200: I miss you more.

USMCSTABLER1020: No way. I called my general 'Liv,' Liv.

LivEl61200: I wrote a creative writing essay on the healing powers of blue eyes.

LivEl61200: Beat that, sucker!

USMCSTABLER1020: Okay, I guess you miss me, huh? Lol. Oh! Hey! Did you know my bunkmate's dad is some big shot in the FBI?

LivEl61200: I did know that. You just told me.

USMCSTABLER1020: Smartass.

LivEl61200: You love me.

USMCSTABLER1020: You're right. I do love you.

LivEl61200: I love you, too, El. Why did you tell me about your roommate's dad?

USMCSTABLER1020: My dad knows him. Saved his life once.

LivEl61200: Nice!

USMCSTABLER1020: His dad was also the best man in my parents' wedding.

LivEl61200: Small world, huh?

USMCSTABLER1020: Yeah. Lol. Now he thinks we need to be best friends. He's even doing me random favors, trying to prove his loyalty.

LivEl61200: Milk it for all it's worth! Make him do your laundry!

USMCSTABLER1020: Lol. I should. Speaking of laundry, what are you wearing?

LivEl61200: OMG, El, really? Lol. Nothing sexy, just jeans and one of your old tee-shirts.

USMCSTABLER1020: You're always sexy. Which shirt?

LivEl61200: the Superman one I shrunk when I tried to do the laundry...;)

USMCSTABLER1020: You look cute in that!

USMCSTABLER1020: I don't want other guys looking at you when you're being all cute!

USMCSTABLER1020: Why the hell are you wearing that?

LivEl61200: Because I'm Supergirl, didn't you know?

USMCSTABLER1020: Psh! Of course I knew, I'm Superman, duh!

USMCSTABLER1020: Why are you really wearing it, Lois Lane?

LivEl61200: It smells like you.

USMCSTABLER1020: Lol. Cute.

USMCSTABLER1020: You kow what else smells like me?

LivEl61200: Kow? What's that, a Russian cow? You called me a cow in Russian?

USMCSTABLER1020: Know! I meant know!

USMCSTABLER1020: It's hard to walk and type at the same time! Lol. Do you KNOW what else smells like me?

LivEl61200: Yes! Your pillow, the NYPD hoodie I stole from you, and the bottle of your cologne I have in my bathroom.

From behind her, she heard the door creak open, and she heard a very familiar, very low voice say, "No, baby. Me."

**A/N: Porter meets Olivia in the next chapter, Elliot meets Trevor, Casey and Fin deal with having the baby for the weekend, Alex and Joey go on a real date, and something unexpected happens with Brian and Kathy! **


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N: Porter meets Olivia, Elliot meets Trevor, Casey and Fin deal with having the baby, Alex and Joey go on a real date, and something unexpected happens with Brian and Kathy!**

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and characters are owned by Dick Wolf. This story, all of it, is owned by TStabler©**

October 12th, 2000

"This is a really nice place," Alex said, looking around. "You know that I'm still in high school, you sure you wanna be seem in a place like this with me?"

Joey laughed and nodded. "I'm sure," he said. "God, are all women this self-loathing?"

"Pretty much," Alex said.

"Well, not around me," Joey said. "You don't get to do that crap around me, got it?"

"I got it...Joey," Alex said, pausing before his name. She was going to call him "Elliot," and she didn't want to do that. She didn't want to ruin things with him, but he was so much like his brother, it was sinful. She couldn't have been happier.

* * *

"Firearms," a commander said, while crossing in front of a table of Marines, "are deadly weapons for both your target and you. If you can not assemble one correctly, and quickly, someone else will probably shoot you in the head! You maggots have to be able to put your guns together and load them in less than thirty-eight seconds, and right now, only two of you can do that." He glanced at Porter and Elliot, then turned to pace in the other direction. He held up a stopwatch, clicked it, and said, "Your time starts now!"

Elliot grabbed the handle and shuffled bits and pieces of metal around, clicking and locking them together. He looked up next to him and saw Porter almost at the same point in assembly he was. He moved faster, tightening his jaw. Finally, he shoved the ammunition clip into the slot and put his gin down. "Done, Sir," he declared loudly.

Porter scoffed and finished, slamming his gun down less than five seconds after Elliot. He'd been so close. But tonight, when he convinced him to take him to meet Olivia, he'd get even. The promise he made to his father might be a hard one to keep.

* * *

"That's it," Melinda said, handing Fin the baby bag. "If you need anything, call me. Have fun, and remember that he can't have..."

"Whole milk," Fin finished, smiling down at Ken. "He only takes soy formula, and he's got very sensitive skin so I shouldn't freak out if I see a little redness, anything will do it. I know, Mel." Fin looked up at her and said, "He _is_ my son."

* * *

"How can you watch this drivel?" Trevor asked, throwing popcorn into his mouth.

"This _drivel _is one of the highest-rated shows on television," Olivia retorted. "You should love it! It's about cops, lawyers, justice..."

Trevor scoffed and interrupted her. "It's not about justice! It's about that hot cop who can't find a man because she's married to the job! It's about the other cop with the temper having a raging hard-on for his hot partner, but he can't do shit about it because he's married and Catholic, Olivia! The legal-cop-crime angle is just a clever guise to cover up the soap-opera!"

"Are you crazy?" Olivia asked, her eyes wide. "He does not want his partner! He's happily married, with, like, five thousand kids! This is the first episode you've ever seen and you're jumping to stupid conc..."

"Look!" Trevor interjected again, pointing to the screen. "They are looking at each other like they're gonna kiss! That's the look you give someone when you wanna kiss them."

Olivia scoffed this time. "You look at me like that, and I don't..."

"You just proved my point," Trevor said, looking at her as if he wanted to kiss her.

Olivia cleared her throat, suddenly feeling awkward, and put her bowl of popcorn down, thankful they weren't sharing one. "I'd kill to be twenty-one right now, because I think I need a drink."

Trevor looked down into his popcorn and lifted a few more kernels into his mouth. "I was just being honest," he said, chewing.

Olivia got up to get herself a drink and that's when her door opened. She didn't even have to look. She smiled, turned and ran, jumping into his arms.

* * *

"Kathy," Brian said, gently shaking her awake. "Kath, honey?"

Kathy blinked her eyes open and smiled at her husband. "What?" she said.

"We have to pack, tonight," Brian said.

"What?" Kathy said, shooting up off the couch. "Why? Where are we going?"

Brian opened the hall closet and pulled out their luggage, tossing it onto the floor. "My parents finally get it, they know I love you, and they know I didn't just marry you because you lied to me." He started pulling their clothes out of the drawers and tossing them into a suitcase. "They want us to move into the upper level of the house. Kathy, they wanna pay my tuition, they wanna be a part of their granddaughter's life. Do you realize how much money this is gonna save us?"

Kathy smiled at her husband. "Enough to have another baby," she said, biting her bottom lip.

"Yeah, in a few months, when Maureen's older we could..." Brian stopped, looked up at her, and slowly walked toward her. "Why did you say that?"

Kathy smirked at him. "This one's really yours, Daddy."

* * *

Alex walked toward Joey's car, and she reached for his hand. "I had a really nice time tonight," she said.

Joey squeezed her hand. "So did I," he said. "It's just a shame we won't be having a second date."

"What?" Alex asked, stunned.

Joey sighed and let go of her hand. "You called me 'Elliot,' three times, during dinner. You threw in an 'El' in there, too, which is odd because the only one who has ever called him that is Olivia." He scratched his head and said, "I'm sorry I'm not my brother, and I'm sorry you have this secret desire to be Olivia, but I'm not gonna put my heart on the line and let you only kind of love me because you're still really in love with him."

"Joey," Alex sighed, "I really didn't do it intentionally! I swear, I want you, not him."

Joey cleared his throat and walked toward the street, hailing a taxi. When one stopped, he opened the door and gestured for Alex to get in. "Call me when you mean that. Alex," he said. He handed the driver a twenty and walked toward his car. He didn't look back.

* * *

"He's so sweet," Casey said, rocking Ken in her arms. "I can't believe he's yours."

Fin smirked. "Are you sayin' I'm not sweet, Novak?" he asked, kidding.

"No," Casey said, giggling. "I just...Kathy getting pregnant made sense, you having a kid...with Melinda...it's not you."

Fin sighed, and wrapped an arm around Casey as one of his hands rested on the baby's belly. "We were careful, Case. I swear, I don't know how he happened. But looking at him, I don't regret him. Not one bit."

"You shouldn't," Casey said. "He's your son, Fin. Accident or not."

Fin furrowed his brow. "Accident," he mumbled. "She said she was on the pill, and we used a condom each and every time. I don't really know how he got here."

Casey looked at Fin and raised an eyebrow. "I don't think she would do something like that, Fin."

"Neither of us really knows her, Case," Fin said, kissing her forehead. "She might."

* * *

Elliot laughed as Olivia leaped into his arms, and he held on tight. "Oh, baby," he said. "I missed you so much."

"At least you're closer now," Olivia said, kissing his neck. "God, I hate you not being here."

"Liv," Elliot said, suddenly sounding confused, "Who's the guy on your couch who looks like he wants to hurt me?"

Olivia pulled herself away from him a bit to look at him. "That's Trevor," she said. "The friend I told you..."

"Oh, no," Elliot said, smirking. "You didn't tell me he was a _he_. And you didn't tell me he, uh, looked like that."

"Looked like what?" Olivia asked, tilting her head.

Elliot chuckled. "You're not attracted to him? At all?" he whispered to her, nuzzling her nose.

"Nope," Olivia said, nuzzling his in return. "He's just a friend. No one, El, no one gets to me. I've got everything I want, right here."

Elliot went for it, he kissed her, holding her close. He didn't intend on the kiss lasting as long as it did, and he didn't intend on giving two other men an interesting little show, but he had to kiss her. He pulled away when he suffered from lack of oxygen. "That's Dean Porter," he said, jerking his head to the right. "My bunkmate, and fellow Marine."

Olivia looked up, breathless and flushed. "Nice to meet you," she said, smirking.

"Likewise, Misses Stabler," Dean said, smirking back at her.

Olivia looked down at him and asked, "How long are you staying?"

"Only a few hours, baby," Elliot said, kissing her again, walking with her still wrapped around him to the couch. "I'm getting a three-day pass next week, though."

Olivia smiled. "I know," she said, kissing him again. "For your birthday."

"Yep," Elliot said. "And I know exactly what I want." He winked at Olivia, then said, "Help yourself to a drink, and have a seat, Porter."

"Thanks, Stabler," Porter said, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge with a chuckle. Repaying his father's debt was gonna be hard with Olivia looking like that.

Olivia, straddling Elliot as they sat on the couch, kissed him again, then heard a throat clear next to her. She pulled away, laughing. "I'm sorry. Trevor, this is my husband, Elliot."

"Nice to meet you, man," Elliot said, holding out his hand.

Trevor shook it, noting the incredibly strong grip he had, and said, "Yeah." He and Elliot exchanged a friendly look with just a bit of a glare, not realizing, not for a moment, that they were destined to be enemies. They would find out, though, very soon.

**A/N: Will Alex get over Elliot and give Joey a real chance? Will Fin and Casey enjoy the rest of the weekend with Kenny? What does Elliot want for his birthday, and does he get it? And what does Trevor have up his sleeve.**


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: Trevor spends more time with Olivia; Porter spends some time with his father; Kathy and Brian move in with his parents; Melinda, Fin and Casey come to blows; and Alex makes up her mind....kind of. **

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and characters are owned by Dick Wolf. This story, all of it, is owned by TStabler©**

October 19th, 2000

"Shut up!" Olivia spat, throwing a French fry at Trevor while staring at the TV. "This is the season finale! Someone's gonna die, and you're talking through it!"

"Christ," Trevor said, whispering. "It's just a TV show," he mumbled.

Olivia's eyes widened and she gasped. "Just a TV show? In a few years, Trevor, this is gonna be our lives! Now will you shut...oh, my God! Not him! Oh, my God! They can't kill him!"

"Please, didn't he just get shot in the last episode? They're not gonna kill him." Trevor said, chuckling. "Oh, see, look at that! There goes his partner, running to rip his clothes off. Tell me she doesn't want him, Olivia!"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "She's saving his life, you moron. You know it's easier to do chest compressions with the...is that a tattoo?"

"Of her name?" Trevor asked, leaning forward, closer to the screen.

Olivia blinked. "Damn, I guess he is in love with her," she said, shaking her head. "She's crying! She never cries! My world is falling apart, here!"

"And he's moving. He's opening his eyes, see I told you they wouldn't kill him," Trevor said, smiling at her. "Can't kill the only hot guy on the show, can you?"

"Shut up," Olivia said, throwing another fry, still watching the TV intently. Olivia had no idea that Trevor was watching her just as intently. She was so engrossed in the show, she didn't feel his hand lightly caressing her cheek, she didn't hear the key turning in the lock, and she didn't see the staredown that two eighteen year old boys were suddenly having in her room.

* * *

"Are you doing what I asked you to do, Deano?" Greg Porter asked, walking through the base with his son.

"Yes, Sir," Dean replied. "It's, uh, gonna be hard, but you can trust me to keep Stabler and his wife safe, Dad."

Greg looked at his son. "Trust you? I'm not _trusting_ you to do it, I'm _ordering_ you to do it. If you can't, I'll have federal..."

"I can," Dean said. "And I will. You and his father must have really been close."

"We still are. He's my best friend," Greg said. "Joe Stabler is like a brother to me, Dean. Therefore, Elliot is family. So is Olivia. Joe saved my life, and yours and your mother's. We owe him, and a Porter man always repays his debts."

Dean looked up at his father, raising an eyebrow. "Okay," he said. "Yeah. Okay. I got it covered, Dad. Hey, uh, did you, by any chance, enroll me in the FBI's training..."

"Yes, I did," Greg said. "Another thing Porter men do? Follow in their father's footsteps."

* * *

Brian lifted several boxes into his arms and carried them up the stairs to the second floor of his parents house. He looked around, smiling. The baby would have her own nursery, they had a big kitchen, and a big bedroom. Their living room was comfortable, not cramped.

"It's beautiful," Kathy said, wrapping her arms around him. "Really beautiful."

Brain blinked, looked around again, then turned to her. "Yeah," he said, brushing her hair back. "It is."

"So your mom said she'd watch Maureen when I'm at school, so I don't have to take night classes," Kathy said. "We can both come home early, and we can be a real family."

Brian smiled. "Sounds perfect," he said, kissing her. He knelt to start unpacking the box, and was surprised to see it filled with pictures in frames. He picked up the top one, and flipped it over, and gasped. He didn't even know he still had this picture. He ran a finger down the face in the photo and whispered, "Olivia." He loved Kathy, he did, but there was a part of him that regretted letting Olivia go, a part of him that wanted her back, just as a friend. Even if it meant being Elliot Stabler's friend, too.

* * *

"Just knock on the door, Alex," Alex told herself, lifting her hand. "It's not that difficult." Before her fist hit the wood, though, it swung open. Joey was kissing a pretty brunette goodbye, and the two ladies exchanged awkward glances as the brunette brushed passed Alex.

"What are you doing here?" Joey asked, standing in the doorway with no shirt on.

Alex folded her arms. "Who was that?"

"That was Abby. She's never met Elliot," Joey said, smirking. "You answer my question now."

"I wanted to...I was coming over to...but then I saw her," Alex sputtered. "Who...did you two just..."

Joey laughed, interrupting her. "Alex, my sex life is none of your business. But, uh, you gotta know. I'm really nothing like my brother. I don't need to be in love to have sex, I can separate the two."

"Joey, you slept with her? You went out with me a week ago!" Alex yelled, hurt, offended, and slightly amused. "Elliot would never do that!"

Joey looked at her, a serious look in his eyes. "Exactly," he said, nodding. "What more do I have to do to prove that I am not my brother, Alex? Go hit Olivia?"

Alex's eyes widened. "I know you're not Elliot, Joey! If I wanted Elliot that badly I would have gone after him! That never happened! I never made a move!"

"Because Olivia could have, and would have, kicked your ass!" Joey yelled.

"Why are you yelling at me?" Alex yelled back, fuming.

"I don't know!" Joey barked. Then, without notice, he pulled Alex toward him, crashing his lips into hers, and yanked her into his apartment, slamming the door shut behind her.

* * *

"How was he?" Melinda asked, taking Kenny from Casey.

"He was an angel," Casey replied. "But, uh, Fin and I were just wondering...how much of an accident was he?"

Melinda blinked and looked up. "What?" she asked. "Excuse me, but what are you asking?"

Fin cleared his throat. "Mel, you said you were on the pill, and we were careful. Too careful. I'm not accusin' you of anything, I just..."

"Like hell you're not, Fin," Melinda spat. "Did this bitch put the idea in your head?"

Fin and Casey both widened their eyes. "Do not call her a bitch, Melinda," Fin warned.

"Until you surround yourself with a better class of people, you can forget about getting Kenny on the weekends!" Melinda yelled.

"Are you sayin' that because you really don't like Casey, or are you sayin' that because we're right, Mel?" Fin asked.

Casey smirked, folding her arms, and asked, "Or is it both?"

"You are a crazy bitch, Casey," Melinda spat, picking up the baby's diaper bag.

Fin blocked the door. "You aren't going anywhere until you tell me, Mel. Did you get pregnant on purpose?"

* * *

"What the hell are you doing to my wife, Langan?" Elliot asked, still glaring.

Trevor moved his hand and backed away.

Olivia, hanging on to every word uttered by the characters on the television said, "Dammit, Trevor shut the hell up! I think he's telling her he loves her!"

Trevor looked appalled. "I didn't say..."

"Shhh!" Olivia barked. She watched the scene unfold before her, and a tear rolled down her cheek.

Elliot chuckled softly, walking closer to the couch. He very slowly, very carefully, dropped his lips to her neck. That's when she turned, suddenly, and slugged him.

"Trevor, I told you...Oh, shit! Elliot!" She jumped over the couch and cupped his face. "Baby, are you...God, I'm sorry, I thought you were..."

"Ow," Elliot interrupted, rubbing his jaw. "Baby, damn," he said, starting to chuckle. "Well, at least I know if he ever did try anything he'd be sorry."

Olivia smirked. He had tried something. He was sorry. Elliot didn't need to know that. "Are you okay?" she asked, caressing his cheek.

"I've been hit harder," Elliot said. "Not _much_ harder, but harder," he admitted. "You have one hell of a right hook."

Olivia laughed. "You knew that, though," she said.

"Yeah, but now I know from experience," Elliot said, shaking his head. "Come here." He pulled her toward him, kissing her.

Olivia's arms wrapped around him, her fingers laced behind his neck, she let out a soft moan of contentment, and when Elliot's hands traveled down to cup her ass, she yelped and bit his lip.

"Why did you think I was Trevor?" Elliot asked, pulling away, glaring slightly at the man on the couch.

Olivia tugged his face back toward her. "He tried to kiss me once," she told him, honestly.

"And she punched me, a lot harder than she punched you," Trevor said, sighing. "I'm gonna go. You two, clearly, wanna be alone."

"Yeah," Elliot said, nodding.

"Bye," Olivia said, looking longingly at Elliot.

"See you in class, Olivia," Trevor said, grabbing his coat and leaving.

Olivia looked at Elliot, a soft, loving, look. "El," she said, cupping his face, "I've told you, numerous times, you don't have to..."

"I know," Elliot interrupted. "But you know, as well as I do, that some guys don't take 'no' for an answer."

"And you know, as well as I do, that I can kick any guy's ass," Olivia said, chuckling. She looked Elliot up and down and bit her bottom lip. "You look amazing in this uniform," she said, tugging on his collar, "But you look even better out of it."

Elliot laughed, lifting her up into his arms. "Let's prove that theory, shall we?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows. "We have three days, baby. Three whole days. I don't have to leave, you can miss a few classes, we don't have to get out of this bed," he said, tossing her on her mattress.

Olivia laughed as Elliot practically tore his uniform off. "True. I can always get the notes from..."

"Trevor?" Elliot asked, making a kissy-face. He crawled over her, slowly sliding down her sweatpants, taking her underwear with them. "Someone's got a crush on my wife, I don't know whether to be flattered or..."

"I wanna move in with you," Olivia said, cutting him off, coming out of nowhere.

Elliot stopped moving, Olivia looked at his curious eyes, and he said, "What?"

"They have family housing," Olivia said. "I called, I asked, I..."

Elliot crawled up, closer to her face. "Baby, you don't wanna live on the base with me. It's loud, it's violent, it's..."

"It's where I can be with you, every night, instead of waiting for you to get a pass, what, once every six months?" Olivia propped herself up on her elbows. "I talked to the woman for a while, El, she said I'd be free to come and go as I please. I wouldn't have to quit school, and when you leave, God forbid you even do, I can stay there, where I'd know right away if..." she broke off, looking away. "If something happened to you."

Elliot blinked. He'd tell her, soon enough, that he'd been serving his time in a command unit, behind a computer, with only six moths of active combat. "Is that really what you want?" he asked, smiling.

"I want to be with you," Olivia said, shrugging. "I don't care where, or how. I just...I can't stand to be away from you. I cry, every night. Without you, the nightmares come back, and do you have any idea what it's like having Trevor running down the hall and banging on my door because he can hear me screaming?"

"Probably the same way it feels to have Porter staring at me when I wake up in a cold sweat because I don't feel you next to me," Elliot said, dropping his head to kiss her. "Baby, when I have to return to camp, come with me. We'll talk to my C.O, see what he says."

Olivia nodded, feeling him sliding his hands up her body again. He slid her shirt up over her head, removed her bra, and kissed her neck, reaching blindly toward the side table drawer. Olivia stopped him, and his head popped up. He looked her straight in the eyes, questioning why she stopped him. "I love you," she whispered to him. "I love you, and I want to give you the one thing you want, more than anything."

Elliot narrowed his eyes. "I've already got you, baby," he said. Then his eyes widened. "Baby?" he asked, whispering.

"There's no harm in trying, El," Olivia said, a twinkle in her eyes. "You said, last night, that you wanted to..."

"I know what I said," Elliot told her. "I just didn't think you'd...I didn't mean right now," he said, still in shock.

Olivia moved his hand away from the table. "Why not now?" she asked. "The baby would be born over the summer, the base has daycare, and you want this."

"Do you?" Elliot asked, tears building up in his eyes as he moved over her.

Olivia nodded. She glanced at the clock, noting that it was just past midnight, and smiled. She turned back to face Elliot and shifted her hips, positioning him at her entrance. "Happy Birthday, baby," she said, pulling his face down to hers, kissing him.

"Best birthday ever," Elliot said, pushing into her, without a condom, for the first time ever, knowing the consequences, and praying they'd have to face them.

**A/N: Do Olivia and Elliot move into Family Housing? What does Melinda have to say for herself? How will Brian get back into Elliot and Olivia's life? What happened with Alex and Joey? And...does Elliot's birthday sex lead to a birthday baby, or will they have to try a little harder? REVIEWS will make me answer these questions faster! **


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N: Elliot's birthday brings about a lot of "Morning Afters"**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© just borrows them and makes them into her own personal puppets. Dance, puppets! Dance!**

Alex blinked her eyes open and found herself in Joey Stabler's arms. She looked up at his face, his beautiful face, and sighed. She looked at him, and as much as it she knew it would hurt him, as much as she knew it was wrong, she saw Elliot. She smiled and sighed as she rested her head on his bare chest and nestled further into his embrace.

Joey, half-asleep, let the smile creep across his face as he wrapped his arm around her. He didn't have a clue.

* * *

Elliot woke up to the smell of frying bacon. He grinned, rolled out of Olivia's bed, and walked, naked, into the tiny kitchen area of the campus apartment. He wrapped his arms around Olivia, who was standing in front of the stove wearing nothing but his uniform shirt. He smirked and ran his hands up and down her body. "This looks so much better on you than it does on me," he whispered into her ear.

"That's because I'm prettier than you," Olivia quipped.

Elliot chuckled. "You are," he said. He skimmed his hands under the shirt and rested them on her toned stomach. "Do you think we made a baby last night?" he asked, a new, light quality in his voice.

"I don't know," Olivia said, smirking as she jostled the frying pan.

"Wanna try again today, just to double our chances?" Elliot asked, kissing her neck again.

Olivia moaned and dropped her head. "Oh, honey, we can do nothing but try all damn day if you want," she said, rolling her body back into his. "Breakfast first. You're gonna need your energy."

"I'm a Marine," Elliot said, proudly. "I've got incredible stamina."

Olivia picked up a slice of cooled bacon and turned slightly, watching him bite it. She raised an eyebrow as he chewed.

"Okay," he said, nodding, "We can take a mini-break to eat." He grabbed the plate of bacon and the carton of juice and, with his hips, nudged her back toward the bedroom.

"What are you doing?" Olivia laughed.

Elliot lifted the plate to his lips, grabbing another slice of bacon between his teeth and chewing it into his mouth. "We're having breakfast in bed," he said to her. He backed her up until she fell onto the mattress, then he put the plate and juice container on the bedside table and crawled over her, slowly unbuttoning his shirt and taking it off if her body.

Olivia watched as he tossed the crisp, white shirt over his head, and looked into his eyes as he looked deeply into hers and entered her slowly, still savoring the feeling of her, all of her. She dug her nails into his shoulders, but kept her yes open and trained on his. She kissed him when he was in completely, and said, "Happy Birthday, baby."

Elliot chuckled. "A birthday baby," he said as he dropped his head to kiss her again. He thrust, moving slowly as he whispered, "I hope so."

* * *

Fin woke up to the sound of Casey humming softly to Kenny, who was wrapped snugly in her arms. After calling Melinda out on her lie, she agreed to let Fin keep the baby for full weeks, instead of weekends, when he threatened to sue for custody. He would win, then she would have never seen Fin or Kenny again. Fin smiled at the sight before him; his girlfriend cradling his son, trying to rock him back to sleep.

"Morning, Daddy," Casey chirped, staring at the boy.

"Case," Fin said, squinting his eyes, "You gotta go to school. It's Monday."

Casey shrugged. "I can be late for once. I can't say goodbye to him."

Fin smiled and got out of the bed. He walked over and kissed her forehead, then kissed his son in the same spot. "Go, Novak. We'll be fine. My mom's gonna watch him while I'm at class, and when you get out of school, we'll both be here, waiting for you."

Casey nodded, kissed Kenny's cheek, and handed the baby back to his father. "See you soon, Fin," she said.

"Bye, babe," Fin said, making the baby wave to her as she walked out of his bedroom.

* * *

"Kathy," Brian called, walking into their living room, "Honey come on, we're gonna be…what are you doing?"

Kathy, standing with her arms folded, nodded to the book on the coffee table in front of her. "Why do you still have these?" she asked.

"They're just pictures, Kath," Brian said, rolling his eyes.

"Why were they hiding in a fucking novel, Brian?" Kathy asked, louder.

Brian sighed and yelled back, "Because I knew if I kept them out where you would see them you'd act exactly how you're acting!"

"You have pictures of you and Olivia," Kathy barked, finally holding up the photos. "When the hell were these even taken?"

"Olivia's freshman year, Jesus, Kathy," Brian scoffed. "I'm not cheating on you, and there's no way in hell she's cheating on Elliot. Get over it!"

Kathy flipped over the top photo and asked, "So then why do you have her address and phone number at Yale? What's this MTC crap on the bottom?"

"I want to…I wanna go talk to her, Kathy. I miss her. As a friend!" Brian explained. "The MTC number at the bottom is Elliot's station number. Livia said that she might…"

Kathy cut him off. "Woah, 'Livia'? You gave her a nickname?" she asked, accusingly.

"I'm gonna be late for class, I'm not doing this right now," Brian spat. "Kathy, I love you, baby. I'm in love with you. I'm not interested in anything more than a friendship with Olivia. I figured…maybe you'd want at least that with Elliot, too. Maybe we could go see them together. He, uh, invited me to his graduation. I think he assumes I'm bringing…"

Kathy looked confused. "How did he invite you to his Corps graduation? You haven't spoken to him since…"

"Yesterday," Brian said shortly. "I talked to him yesterday."

Kathy looked stunned. How could he keep this friendship from her? She dropped the photos in her hands back onto the table, gave Brian a quick kiss, and walked out, trying to process what this would mean for them. There was no way she could be Elliot's friend.

* * *

Olivia was resting comfortably on top of Elliot, in bed, happy, calm, and satisfied. He was half-asleep, with one arm behind his head and the other looped around her waist. It was a brief, relaxing moment, after their fourth round of incredible lovemaking. Breakfast had gone untouched, and lunch was never an option.

"El?" Olivia queried into the air, hoping he was awake enough to hear her.

"Hmmm," Elliot hummed, acknowledging her.

Olivia lifted her head and peered up at him. "I love you," she whispered.

Elliot's eyes opened, his head popped up, and he looked at her. "I love you, too, baby." He tugged her up, making them face-to-face, and asked, "Why did you say it like that?"

Olivia nuzzled his nose. "I wanted you to have this amazing birthday, and…"

"Liv, baby," Elliot said, smiling lovingly at her, "Any birthday I have is going to be incredible, as long as I've got you."

Olivia chuckled, but then her look softened. "I didn't even get you anything, El, I feel like I've…"

Elliot interrupted her. "If I'm with you, that's all I will ever want for my birthday. Even if we weren't trying to have a baby, which I still can't believe you're doing for me, I wouldn't want to get out of bed." He kissed her and nuzzled her nose, like she'd done to him before. "Cuddling with you, holding you, talking to you, making love to you for hours," he listed, "That's all I want my life to consist of, forever."

"We might not have forever," Olivia said, kissing him.

"Baby," Elliot said, brushing her hair back, "I know you're scared. I know you feel like something horrible is gonna happen to me. I was gonna wait until graduation to tell you this, but I'm working with the technical response unit for most of my service. GPS tracking, radar screening, mapping. I'm only going to see, maybe, six or seven months of field duty, and out there I'm not the first line. I'm gonna be fine."

Olivia felt the unstoppable tears running down her cheeks; he'd taken a huge weight off of her shoulders. "Really?" she asked. "The truth?"

"On my honor," Elliot said with a nod. "Got it in writing," he added.

Olivia pressed her lips to his again, eager to begin trying, for the fifth time that day, to make Elliot's dream of fatherhood a reality, relieved that the odds of him being there to raise the child were significantly higher. She wrapped herself around him again, and one more time, she told him, "Happy Birthday."

"I love you, Misses Stabler," Elliot said, looking up into her eyes.

Olivia looked down into his and said, "I love you, too," oblivious to the dark cloud sweeping in, ready to rain on their seemingly perfect world.

**A/N: What? Dark cloud? Who or what is it? What happens when Alex and Joey face each other? What compromise can be reached with Kathy and Brian? What will Trevor do when he finds out Olivia might move onto the base with Elliot? And what will happen between Dean and Elliot, only furthering the debt Porter has to pay? Click that button, and tell me you wanna know!**


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N: House hunting, Alex faces Joey, Melinda confesses to something, and Kathy realizes she overreacted. **

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© just borrows them and makes them into her own personal puppets. Dance, puppets! Dance!**

"As of right now, you only qualify for one of the two bedroom units, but would you look at this place?" a chipped blonde in a uniform asked, enthusiastically. "Full living room, dining room, kitchen, two bathrooms, the balcony in the back and a patio. It's lovely, no?"

Olivia looked around and nodded. "Beautiful," she said.

Elliot squeezed her hand.

The woman turned and looked at Olivia. "If you decide to take it, you'll get your own Military ID, which will afford you the same accesses as Elliot, anywhere he goes, you'd be able to follow. You'll also be allowed to shop at the base stores, you'll be offered discounts at other places, I have a list for you. You'll also be allowed to use the base facilities. Gym, library, pool, childcare facilities, that is assuming you want children."

"We do," Elliot said, silently hoping he already had one. "Very much," he added, looking at Olivia.

"Well, you'll be on the Military insurance, and you'd be able to have the baby at any Military hospital at an extremely reasonable price." She smiled and said, "It only cost me twenty-four dollars to have my son." She saw their eyes widen and said, "Yeah. Pretty amazing. Oh, any child you have will get his or her own ID when the reach a certain age," the female officer said, smiling.

"This place is great," Elliot said, "But if we have more than one..."

"Stabler," the woman said. "If you're lucky enough to be blessed with a second child, you'll have the opportunity to move into a three-bedroom unit on the other side of the base. But you're not going to be a career Marine, are you?"

"No, Ma'am," Elliot said, shaking his head. "Four years, then I'm out."

"Are you planning on having more than one child in those four years?" the woman asked.

Elliot looked at Olivia and smiled. "It could happen," he said.

Olivia smirked and shook her head with a light chuckle.

The woman laughed at them and could plainly see the love between them. "Well, we have seven other couples lined up to look at this place," she said. "If you want to stay where you..."

"We'll take it," Elliot interrupted. "I mean, we'd be honored if you would let us move in. Here."

The female officer smirked and handed Elliot a folder. "Her ID forms, the housing contract, and a few questionnaires. Fill them out, sign them, get them back to the housing commission by five. A team will help you move in tonight."

Elliot was handed the keys, and he looked at Olivia. Tears in her eyes, she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. "I love you," he whispered to her. "You didn't have to do this, but I'm very happy you did," he said.

"I had to," Olivia said with a nod. "You know why."

Elliot nodded and kissed her, wrapping his arms around her. He heard her mumble "I love you," against his skin, and he smiled, deepening the kiss, images of them and a baby dancing in his head.

* * *

"Just come with me," Brian begged, tossing chicken into Kathy's salad.

Kathy shook her head. "I can't," she said. "I can't be his friend, I can't even be in the same room as him. And her? You really want me to be nice to her?"

"Yes, I do," Brian said. "If you're really over him, and if you're really in love with me, you wouldn't have such a problem with this."

"Brian, you know I love you!" Kathy argued.

Brian tilted his head and exhaled harshly. "You're not over him, are you?"

"Of course I..."

"No, you're not," Brian said. "You still have feelings for him, don't you? And you're afraid that seeing him is going to bring them all up to the surface. Is that it?"

Silence.

"Kathy?" Brian prodded. "Answer me."

"I don't know," Kathy said, shrugging. "That's what I'm afraid of, but i don't...thinking about him does nothing for me. Seeing him...might."

Brian shook his head and pushed his dinner away. "Only one way to find out, isn't there?"

"When is it?" Kathy asked. "His graduation?"

"November Nineteenth," Brian responded. "And we're going. I think now, it's damn clear that we have to go." He got up from the table, heading for the bedroom, but he turned back to her. "How could you not know, Kathy?"

Kathy shrugged. "I'm sorry," she said. "I don't know what's going to happen when I see him, but I do know that I love you, very much."

"Just not as much as you used to love him," Brian said. Then he walked into the bedroom and closed the door behind him.

* * *

"So," Joey said, awkwardly, as he met Alex outside the school. "Did you get in trouble for ditching yesterday?"

"No," Alex said. "I just told them I had cramps."

Joey laughed. "Right," he said. "The last two days, Alex, what were they? What does this make us?"

"That's up to you," Alex said, clearing her throat. She reached into her pocket for her pack of cigarettes, and walked down the steps as she lit one. "It was two days of pretty incredible sex, is that all you want it to be? I'm sure...what was her name...Kim? She gonna be calling you soon?"

"Kim was a distraction," Joey sighed, following her down the stairs. "I needed to be with someone who wasn't going to look at me and see Elliot. Who wasn't going to wish I was someone else, someone I'd never be."

Alex's eyes widened. "I told you, Joey, I don't..."

He cut her off with a kiss. A scorching kiss. Alex's mind went completely blank. Images of a face flashed in her mind and she gasped, deepening the kiss and dropping her cigarette.

"Well?" Joey asked, pulling away from her. "Were you kissing me or him?"

Alex was stunned. Shocked. She looked Joey right in the eyes and said, "You."

Joey smiled, nodded once, and gave her a specifically Stabler grin. "Good," he said. "Then you and I are definitely gonna be okay."

Alex let him take her hand and lead her down the stairs, and she smiled. She was very proud of herself; she was getting very good at lying to him.

* * *

"I told you I was sorry," Melinda cried, sitting on Fin's couch.

Fin shook his head, rocking Kenny in his arms. "I know you did," he said. "But you're not. I'm not. I love the boy, Melinda. I just wish you would have told me your plans, instead of trying to guilt me into staying with you. I'm not the type of guy who is willing to give up my life for a mistake." He looked at her and said, "I'm not Elliot. I'm not Brian. I'm a man, though, and I'm gonna take care of my son. I'm just not gonna be with you."

"Why not, Fin?" Melinda asked. "Why can't we give us another shot, for the sake of our son?"

Fin rolled his eyes. "Because I'm in love with..."

"Don't tell me you're in love with her," Melinda said. "You can't be in love with her, Fin. It's just not natural. You can't be with her. Not when you've got a child with me."

"Why? Why isn't it natural? Is it because she's not you? Because she's white? Because she's Catholic?" Fin accused. "I've heard all the reasons why I shouldn't be with her. But I am. She makes me happy, she loves me, I love her, and those are pretty damn good reasons that I should be with her."

Melinda looked crushed. "But we have a son," she argued.

"I know we do," Fin smiled, looking down at the baby. "A beautiful son, that I love more than anything. I'm gonna be here, Melinda. I'm gonna take care of my boy, but you have to stay out of my way and let me do it my way, because I'm gonna live my life with Casey, too."

Melinda dropped her head into her hands and watched Fin. He was so great with Kenny. She wondered, and then she smiled. If she couldn't get Fin away from Casey, she'd just have to get Casey away from Fin.

* * *

"Olivia?" Trevor asked, knocking and pushing her open door. "Olivia, what are you doing?"

Olivia turned, saw the heartbroken look on Trevor's face, and she sighed. "I'm packing," she said. "I'm moving. We got a house on the base and..."

"What?" Trevor asked, furrowing his brow. "You're leaving? You're gonna be...gone?"

"I'm still going here, Trev," Olivia said, with a small smile. "I just won't be living on campus anymore. I'm going to be living with..."

Trevor grabbed her, suddenly, and kissed her. She was still, shocked, not responsive at all, and she pushed him away.

"With my husband," Olivia said, glaring at him. "My husband. I'm married. Why do you keep trying to wreck that?"

Trevor shook his head. "I'm falling in love with you, Olivia. I don't know why, or how, but...don't go? Stay. Let him do his thing. Maybe time apart, time with someone else..."

"Trevor," Olivia interrupted. "Being away from him...kills me. I don't want anyone else. I'm sorry, but I don't love you the way you want me to. And I'm not going to. Do you understand that?"

"No, not really," Trevor said. "You're eighteen, how the hell could you know that this is the man you want to be with for the rest of your life? How could you possibly know that when you've never been with anyone else? Olivia, give me a chance to show you what else is out there for you."

Olivia, knowing that he could hear her, knowing he was watching her, said, "I know what else is out there for me. A life. A family. With Elliot. Please, Trevor, either help me pack or get out, because I'm not..."

His lips were on hers again, and that's when Elliot stepped out of the kitchen. He pulled Trevor off of Olivia and swung, nailing him right in the right eye. "She told you, twice, man!"

"You were here?" Trevor asked, hunched over, clutching his head.

"Where else would I be? I heard and saw everything, I was giving Liv the chance to handle it after you kissed her the first time, but no one, no one, kisses her twice and lives."

Trevor shook his head. He stood up and looked at Elliot, a hard, hateful look, and then he turned to Olivia. "You're making a mistake," he said. "A big one. I'm gonna prove it, Olivia. I don't know how, but I will." He turned and left, vowing to find some way to get to her.

"Wow," Olivia gasped.

Elliot glared at the door. "I know, man, he has balls..."

"No, El, I mean, wow," Olivia said, gesturing to him. "You stayed out of that longer than I thought you would. I'm a little confused and a little proud."

Elliot laughed. "I saw you push him away, I heard everything you said, I really don't have to worry with you, do I?"

"No, never," Olivia said. "You are my whole world, El. I'm not sure I'm even capable of loving anyone else, because all the room in my heart had been taken up by you, and the child we may or may not have."

Elliot wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. "The one we will have, Liv. More than one." He kissed her, nuzzled her nose, and said, "You know that you're my everything, right?"

Olivia nodded. "I know. I don't know why, but I know."

"I'd list the reasons, but we'd be here for a month," Elliot chuckled, kissing her. "Ya know," he said against her lips. "We should probably say a proper goodbye to this place."

Olivia laughed and pulled him closer. "What did you have in mind?" she whispered, her voice low.

Elliot tugged on her pants and smirked. "Well, we'll start out here, the wall. I know you love it up against the wall. Then we'll move into the bedroom, leave the next co-ed a real mess to clean up."

"You're evil," Olivia laughed.

Elliot ripped her pants down and moved quickly, holding her up with one arm as he hurled her into the wall behind them. He unbuckled his jeans and dropped them, pushing into her quickly, and he chuckled when she moaned his name and seethed. "Yeah, I am," he said. "And you love it."

Olivia bit her bottom lip and wrapped her legs tighter around him. "You know I do," she groaned, feeling him move hard and deep. "Oh, God, El," she growled.

"I'm possessive," Elliot said. "Arrogant, jealous, and incredibly irritable, and yet, I have you. I'm fucking lucky, baby," he told her, kissing her. "God, you're incredible."

"And you're amazing," Olivia said. "Absolutely amazing," she said, kissing him.

Elliot wrapped her around him, held on, and carried her into the bedroom. For the first time in three days, he made love to her without the express intention of making a baby, and it was mind-blowing.

* * *

"Porter!"

"Yes, Sir," Porter said, turning and saluting his C. O.

"Stabler and his wife will be moving into a housing unit tonight, you will help them, yes?" the officer asked.

"Yes," Porter said, nodding. "He called me two hours ago. I told him I would."

The commander nodded. "While you're there, you can thank him," he said, tossing a file at Porter. "Stabler just saved your ass."

Porter looked down and gasped. "The Montague report! Sir, I completely..."

"Forgot," the officer said. "I know. Stabler handed it in for you when he came by to fill out his housing forms. You owe him one." The commander walked away.

Porter looked at the file in his hands and shook his head. "No," he said to himself. "I owe him five. Shit."

**A/N: What will life on base be like? What will Trevor pull on Olivia? What will Melinda do to Casey? Will Alex ever tell Joey the truth? Clicky and review for more. TMG212 on Twitter**


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N: How has finally being together affected Olivia and Elliot? How are Alex and Joey getting along? Kathy and Brian get tense as the graduation approaches, Fin and Casey hit a road block as the prepare for dinner with her mother.**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© just borrows them and makes them into her own personal puppets. Dance, puppets! Dance!**

November 17th, 2000

"You sure about this?" Fin asked, straightening his collar. "We don't have to do this," he said, turning to Casey.

"Fin, she's my mother," Casey said.

"And she's dating Melinda's father," Fin said. "This isn't gonna be awkward or anything," he spat, sarcastic. "If he says anything negative..."

"Then we can leave," Casey said, "But I need to try to make things right with my mom, and I want her to see that you and I are not some fling. I want her to see who you really are. And who knows, maybe we can show Melinda's dad how happy we are, and he'll get his daughter to leave you the hell alone."

* * *

"So," Bernie Stabler said, staring at Alex across the table, "Will you be coming with us to Elliot's graduation?"

Alex blinked. "No," she said flatly. "He and Olivia haven't exactly forgiven me, and I don't want to cause any tension on a day like that."

Joey looked at her. "You'd be with me, Alex. Nicky, Vicky and Lauren will be there, my sisters, and my dad. You won't be..."

"I'm not going, Joey," Alex said, closing her eyes. She opened them and said, "I'm just not."

"Okay," Joey said, backing off. "Mom, where is Dad, anyway?"

Bernie sighed. "Work," she said. "Where else?"

Joey furrowed his brow. He was just down at the station, and he didn't see his father anywhere. "On a call?" he asked.

Bernie shrugged. "He said something about having a lot of paperwork to do, but he could be out on a case," she rationalized. "Does anyone want more hot cocoa?" She rose from her chair and walked into the kitchen.

"No, Ma," Joey said, wondering where his father really was.

* * *

Olivia yawned as she struggled to stay awake in her Advanced Children and Youth Advocacy class. Trevor, a few seats away, was staring at her, hard, and couldn't understand how she could be so tired, yet still clinging to every word the professor said, writing notes and recording dictation. She amazed him.

"Mister Langan," the professor called, snapping him from his fantasy.

"Sir?" Trevor questioned.

The professor, and most of the class, chuckled. "I asked you a question," the professor said. "Care to bless us with an answer?"

Trevor furrowed his brow and cleared his throat. "Would you, uh, could you please, um, repeat the question?"

The professor smirked. "Mister Langan, I am aware that Miss Benson is a very beautiful girl," he said, "But maybe if you spent more time paying attention in class and less time staring at her, you'd actually be smart enough to realize she's just not that into you."

Olivia sunk low in her seat, embarrassed, as the class "oohed" and clapped.

"Now," the professor said, "Miss Benson, would you be so kind as to answer the question that Mister Langan didn't even hear? Show him how it's done."

Olivia glared at the professor for a moment, then sighed, closing her eyes. It was a subject she was all too familiar with. "Legal Emancipation from parents or guardians is granted only when it can be proven, beyond any doubt, that remaining in the custody of said parents or guardians will greatly endanger the mental and physical well-being of the child, to the point of severe injury or death."

"Amazing," the professor said. "Can you give us an example?"

"I can give you two," Olivia mumbled. "One, um," she said louder, "A case in New York City. A girl was being physically and mentally abused by her alcoholic mother, for about seventeen years. She was hospitalized several times, nearly killed. She didn't have any other family and her father was, um, out of the picture, so the only option for her to protect herself was to be legally emancipated. She found a lawyer, and after a long and grueling trial, emancipation was granted."

The professor saw the look in Olivia's eyes when she spoke of this case, and he understood. He sighed and said, "Well done, Miss Benson." He made a note in his plan book to never discuss that with Olivia again. At least, not in front of the class.

* * *

"Stabler," a superior officer grumbled at Elliot during a training session, "Run harder, son, he's catching up to you! You wanna lead your group to victory, you need to do better than that. Run, Stabler, run like your trying to save your wife's life!"

The officer, and several of the watching Marines, gasped as Elliot ran a hell of a lot faster, grabbed the rope, pulled himself over the wall, dropped down and crawled under the net, reaching the finish line in record time.

"Shit, Stabler," the commander spat. "Where the hell did that come from?"

Out of breath, and panting, Elliot replied, "You told me...to run...like I was...saving...her life."

The commander slapped Elliot on the back. "Keep that thought in the back of your mind, all the time, Stabler. Everything you do, from now on, is for that girl."

Elliot let out a breathy chuckle. "It already was, Sir," he said. He nodded at his commander and walked away, heading toward the showers. He sighed, shaking his head, hoping that, soon, he could do this all for his wife...and his child. It had been hard, trying and failing the way they had been doing, but he was staying strong, as he did everything in his life, for Olivia.

* * *

"You're not cheating are you?" Kathy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"How can I cheat at Scrabble?" Brian asked, chuckling.

Kathy shrugged, and was about to plop down her word, when Maureen started to cry. "Okay, muffin," Kathy said, getting up, "Mommy's coming."

Brian smiled at the sight, and said, "The rest of Joey's family is gonna love her."

"What?" Kathy asked. "You wanna bring her to Elliot's graduation?"

Brian nodded. "She's his niece and he's only seen her twice, Kath. And also, she will get to see her father, and her aunts, and her grandparents..."

"Who are you, and what have you done with Brian Cassidy?" Kathy asked, interrupting. "You just called Joey her father!"

Brian sighed. "I'm not upset or angry anymore, Kathy," he said. "I know he's her father, and I shouldn't deny him that. I mean, I know how it feels now. That little life inside you is mine. Really mine. If you let someone else raise it, if you let it call someone else 'Daddy,' I would be devastated. Joey and his family have every right to be involved in her life. She should know who she is, where she comes from."

Kathy looked up at Brian with new love in her eyes, but when she looked down at Maureen, she only saw Joey. And Elliot. And the life she was supposed to have. She sighed, feeling the line between the two blur. She thought, briefly, that she was going to have both, very soon.

* * *

"Dad," Dean Porter called into his father's office.

"Deano!" his father called back. "You ready for your Corps graduation? Two days, kiddo," he said, cheerfully.

Porter nodded, then sighed. "Look, Dad, I'm not sure I can do what you're asking me to do here."

"Why not?" his father asked, "Did you and Elliot get into some kind of fight?"

"No, nothing like that," Dean said. "I just, I mean, how long do you want me to vow to keep them out of trouble?"

"The rest of your life, Deano," his father returned. "LIke Joe and I do for each other. You'll keep his secrets, he'll keep yours. You will, as best as you can, keep them out of any legal trouble. Helps that you'll be in the FBI doesn't it? He'll do the same for you, since he's planning to be a cop, like his father."

Dean sighed. "He saved your life, I get that. He saved me and mom, but you've never told me how, Dad. Is it really worth..."

"Your mother was being held captive by a serial killer, Deano," his father interrupted. "She was three months pregnant with you, and he took her. He was a cab driver, and whisked her away to some abandoned building. Joe Stabler risked his own ass, his family's safety, by throwing himself into the search and investigation, because he was my friend. He went into that building, without backup, and took the psycho on alone, then carried your mom, who was bleeding and unconscious, out to the ambulance. If he would have been five minutes later, you both would have died. That's why, Dean," Mister Porter said. "I've never been able to fully repay him, because none of his kids have ever been in mortal peril," he said. "If the best I can do is ensure we are always there for him and his family, then so be it."

Dean nodded, leaving his father's office with new determination, and a newfound respect for Elliot. He decided that the first thing he would do, or try to do, was get rid of the idiot Elliot kept complaining about. "Troy? Travis?" he thought. "No, Trevor."

* * *

Olivia walked into the foyer of her house, tossed the keys onto the counter, dropped her messenger bag, and collapsed on the couch.

"Rough day?" a voice asked her.

Olivia popped her head up. "What are you doing home?" she asked, surprised.

Elliot laughed. "I'm done, Angel-Face," he said. "We graduate in two days. Classes are done, we just have physical training and a couple of finals left." He walked over to her and sat beside her, scooping her into his arms. "Are you feeling any better?"

Olivia shook her head. "There's something wrong with me," she mumbled dropping her head into his chest. "My mother did this to me," she assumed. "She punched me too hard, or maybe this is God's way of making sure I don't become my mother."

Elliot scoffed. "There's nothing wrong with you, baby," he said. "You're absolutely fine. God is not punishing you, or trying to keep you from having a baby."

"Then what's the problem?" Olivia asked, wide-eyed. "We've been trying for almost a month, El. I know there's nothing wrong with you, I mean, your family is extremely fertile."

Elliot chuckled. "Liv, honey, we're young! You're young. Maybe your body is just not ready to have a baby."

Olivia sighed. "Stupid body," she mumbled.

Elliot chuckled. "Then again," he said, holding out a folded slip pf paper, "Maybe it is. I mean you said you've skipped a period or two, you're looking a little pouchy, maybe you are."

"I told you that it was just stress, El," Olivia said, then she lifted her head and raised an eyebrow, taking the paper from him. "What's this?" she asked.

"Lab report from your clinic visit yesterday," Elliot said. "Including ultrasound results and bloodwork. They dropped it off about an hour ago."

"Did you read it?" Olivia asked, smirking, remembering his comment.

"No," Elliot said. "I think we should do it together," he told her. "I was just trying to be, ya know, hopeful."

Olivia bit her lip and unfolded the paper, then she gasped. "Oh, my God," she cried.

"What? Baby, are we having a baby or what?" Elliot asked, unsure of what that look on her face meant.

A tear rolling down her cheek, she looked up at Elliot. She didn't say a word, she simply shook her head.

"We're not having a baby?" Elliot asked, sounding disappointed.

Olivia shook her head again and handed him the paper. She sniffled, her face twisting into a smile. She cupped his face in her hands and held his gaze as she whispered, "We're having two."

**A/N: Twins? Oh, my! How far along is she? Elliot's graduation brings the drama when people come together, and other people get torn apart. Next, if you want it! Review! Or leave me a tweet on Twitter TMG212**


	42. Chapter 42

**A/N: Sorry this has taken so long to update. I had SERIOUS writers block here. Twins? Oh, my! How far along is she? Elliot's graduation brings the drama when people come together, and other people get torn apart.**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© just borrows them and makes them into her own personal puppets. Dance, puppets! Dance!**

November 19th, 2000

"Are you guys ready?" Joe Stabler shouted throughout the house as he straightened his tie. "We're gonna be late!"

Joey, his son, walked up to him in a similar suit, while Bernie was still getting ready out of earshot. "Dad," he said, "What's going on with you?"

"What do you mean?" Joe asked, raising an eyebrow.

Joey took a breath, sighing. "You haven't been home in two days, and I know you haven't been working. So where have you been?"

Joe looked at his son, something unreadable in his eyes. "Joey, I don't wanna do this right now. We're going to..."

"Are you cheating on Mom?" Joey asked, folding his arms.

Joe sighed. He didn't know what to say. He knew that the truth would be best, but he was sure that Joey wouldn't like it.

* * *

"You look so beautiful," Brian said to Kathy, smiling.

Kathy smiled back. "Thank you," she said, holding Maureen in her arms. "You sure you wanna go to this thing?"

"I told you," Brian said, "Elliot, Olivia, and me? We're pals. It's all good, Kathy. We're going. Besides, Maureen should see her family."

Kathy grabbed the diaper bag and nodded. She was looking forward to seeing Maureen's family, too. She just wasn't sure how seeing Elliot would affect her, or how seeing Joey would make her feel.

* * *

Fin was driving, Casey was in the passenger seat. The silence was driving them both crazy. "I'm sorry," Fin finally said.

"Don't," Casey said, scoffing. "There was no reason for that kind of behavior last night, and you know it!"

Fin's jaw dropped. "Okay, when we go out with your mother, and she insults me all night, I say nothing. We go out with my parents, _my_ father insults _you_, I defend you, and you're mad at me? How is that fair?"

"It was embarrassing," Casey said. "The entire restaurant heard you!"

"Look," Fin said. "You knew before we went that I don't exactly get along with..."

Casey interrupted him. "You punched your father, Fin! You punched him simply because he was a little rude to me!"

"Yeah," Fin said. "No one...shit, Case, don't ya get it? No one talks to you like that and gets away with it."

Casey looked at him, stunned. He was serious. She sighed and smiled at him. "This is what Olivia must feel like," she said with a laugh.

Fin, understanding, said, "Benson's got it worse. I'm not as much of a hot-head as Elliot."

* * *

Dean, in his dress uniform, walked through the courtyard, heading toward the Stabler unit. He knocked once on the door, and Elliot, half dressed, opened it. "Porter," he acknowledged.

"Stabler," Dean said with a smirk. "You ready to become an honest-to-God Marine?"

Elliot grunted and made a face. "No, but I don't have a choice, do I?"

"We all have choices to make, and we all have choices made for us," Dean spouted, parroting advice from his father. "I'm here for two reasons. One, to warn you. My father has it, on good authority from yours, that someone you don't wanna see will be here today. He told me to tell you to keep an eye on your wife. Second, to inform you that I've gone to see Trevor Langan. He has it bad for your girl, man."

"I know he does," Elliot said. "Lucky for me, she thinks I'm the only man on the planet."

"Yeah," Dean said. "Make sure it stays that way."

"It will," Elliot said, glowing. "Trust me. It will." He shook Dean's hand, thanking him, and he said, "See you on the field."

"Right, Stabler," Dean said. He caught a glimpse of Olivia over Elliot's shoulder and his breath hitched. He really was attracted to her, which was a problem. He nodded once again at Elliot and walked away.

* * *

Alex looked down at her ringing cell phone, hesitating about picking it up. "Hello," she reluctantly said into the device. "Yeah. No, I haven't changed my...what? I'm not even dressed! Five minutes? No! I told you I don't want to...Joey, please don't..." she paused, listening to his voice. He sounded so much like Elliot. "Fine," she said. "I'm only going for you. If he gets mad, or if I have to talk to Olivia...right." She hung up and sighed, rising off of the couch to change. How did she let him talk her into going to Elliot's graduation?

* * *

"You aren't going to break them up," Melinda's father said to her, holding Kenny. "No matter what you do. I was there, I saw them, and I know that they were both very serious about each other. Just let him go, Mel." He put the sleeping boy into the crib and looked back at his daughter.

Melinda looked at her father, appalled. "I can't," she said. "He's Ken's father, and he belongs with me! You were supposed to convince him of that, Daddy! That's the whole reason I asked you to take Casey's mother...oh, my God!"

"Melinda, please," her father said, holding up his hands in defense. "Stay calm, don't do anything stupid."

"You fell in love with her, didn't you?" Melinda asked. "Now, I can't be with Fin, because you would hurt her daughter and you can't have that." She looked at him, tilted her head, and asked, "She's going to be my stepsister, isn't she?"

"There's a good chance of that," Doctor Warner declared.

* * *

The Stablers piled into their van, driving toward Alex's house. Victoria turned to her bother and said, "Joey, why did you invite her? You know how Olivia and Elliot feel about her! You know what she tried to do to them, and you know she's only with you because..."

"She's not!" Joey almost yelled. "She swore she wasn't."

Lauren scoffed. "That's why she has to think before talking to you? She's terrified she's gonna call you 'Elliot.' Joey, I love you. You're my little brother. But you have to find out, once and for all, if she wants you, or if she wants 'Imitation Elliot' before you fall in love with her."

Joey chuckled. "Yeah, it seems to run in the family. Ya know, not really knowing who you're in love with, or who's in love with you." He glared at his father's reflection in the rearview mirror and said, "Elliot's the only one who got it right."

Nicole laughed. "Elliot got married in high school, to a girl he's only known for three years. It's a mistake, and when they realize it, they're gonna be the world's youngest divorcees."

Bernie laughed back as the van pulled in front of Alex's house. "Laurie, Olivia is gonna be a Stabler for the rest of her life. Those two are unbreakable."

Joe honked the horn, and as Alex walked out of her building and got into the car, she got an unexpected surprise. Another car pulled up behind the Stabler's van, and someone very tall, and very handsome got out.

Alex gasped as her hand rested on the handle of the van. She took a deep breath and whispered, "Chester."

* * *

Elliot, fully dressed, reached for his sword but his hand was stopped by Olivia's. "Liv?" he questioned, taking her hand, looking up at her.

"Hey," Olivia whispered with a soft smile. She, too, had a slight glow about her.

"What's up?" Elliot asked, tugging her close.

Olivia shook her head quickly with a light chuckle. "I just wanted to look at you before we have to go. You look so good in this uniform. I mean...really good," she smirked, eyeing him up and down and running her hands down his arms.

"You look amazing in that dress," Elliot said, trying to control his own wandering hands. He failed, though, as his fingers found their way under the material, running along her thighs.

Olivia fluttered her eyes closed and dropped her forehead to his. "I'm so proud of you," she said. "I know this isn't what you wanted, but you did it, and you..."

"Liv, baby," Elliot said, stopping her. "I know, but I did it for us. For my father and for our future." He ran his open palms over her two-months-pregnant-belly and said, "For our family."

"We have a family," Olivia said, her eyes filling with tears.

Elliot's hands moved quickly from her body to her face. "We do," he said. "Why are you crying?"

"El, we have a family!" Olivia cried. "I don't want to raise these babies alone, and I don't want to do it without you. I can't..."

Elliot shut her up with a scorching, fiery kiss. "Baby," he breathed when he pulled away, "I'm not going to get hurt, or killed. I promise you that. No matter what happens, I'm coming home. I told you, Liv, a few months, then I'm behind a desk doing technical..."

"Elliot!" Olivia shouted. "Get real! You are the fastest guy in your rank, you are one of the strongest, you have the intelligence, the drive, the attitude...they are not going to stick to that deal, and you have to be out of your fucking mind if you even think for one second they will."

Elliot thought for a moment, realizing she was right, and he sighed. "Shit," he said. He grabbed his sword, sheathing it at his hip, and he said, "Well, then I'm just going to have to make sure I'm faster, stronger, tougher, and smarter than everyone else, too, huh?" He kissed her again, wiping her eyes. "I swear, I promise, I'm not leaving you alone. Have I ever broken a promise I've made to you?"

Olivia sniffled and shook her head. "No," she said.

"And I never will," Elliot returned with a final kiss before they left. "I promise."

* * *

The field was packed with people. The seats were filled with family and friends. Olivia, walking with a guard to her seat, sat next to Bernie, giving her a kiss on her cheek, smiling. She gave each member of the family a kiss as well, then gasped when she saw Alex next to Joey, and Chester next to Alex. She said nothing to either person, and turned to face the graduates, looking for Elliot in the sea of lined up, uniformed Marines.

Kathy, carrying Maureen, slid into the aisle, with Brian. Brian gave Olivia a kiss on the cheek, earning a harsh glare from Kathy.

"Kathy," Brian said, "We're just friends. Calm down." He sat next to her, then tugged Kathy down as Maureen was passed from relative to relative. She saw Joey take her, and the look in his eyes as he gazed into his daughter's took her breath away. She rested a hand over her bump, wondering how the hell she was going to get out of the mess she made for herself, and finally choose.

Fin and Casey arrived, having the same reactions to Alex and Chester as Olivia had. "What the hell are you doing here, Cabot?" Fin asked.

"Fin," Casey spat harshly. "Not here!"

Fin rolled his eyes, sitting with a plop. "Out of respect for Elliot, since he's my best friend, I will be civil, and ignore her."

"Thank you," Casey said, relieved.

Olivia waved to them, then turned her head back to the field to, once again, try to find Elliot. IN her search, she caught Dean looking at her. He saluted. She gave him a mock salute back, and they shared a laugh. She knew they were lined up alphabetically, so she traveled down the line. "P...Q...R...S...there you are," she whispered. She waved coyly, one hand resting on her belly.

Elliot saluted with a warm smile, then blew her a kiss. He looked at the rest of his family and friends. Catching sight of Alex and Chester, his eyes narrowed, but catching sight of someone else, they widened. He hoped Olivia wouldn't notice as he tried to signal his father.

Joe knew right away what the hand gesture Elliot was making meant, having been a former Marine himself, and he turned around immediately. "Shit," he spat. He shot out of his seat, hoping to get rid of the problem before the ceremony started. The last thing he needed on the night of his son's graduation was Serena Benson walking back into their lives.

**A/N: After the ceremony, the party, and a few confrontations. And a happy announcement that quite a few people are NOT happy about. You won't have to wait so long for an update, now that I've gotten my mojo back. But if you WANT one, you gotta let me know somehow. lol. Here or on Twitter. TMG212 **


	43. Chapter 43

**A/N: A/N: After the ceremony, the party, and a few confrontations. And a happy announcement that quite a few people are NOT happy about.**

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and related characters belong to Dick Wolf. Story, dialogue, narrative and plot belong to TStabler©**

Elliot, in his uniform, walked into the reception hall with Olivia at his side. As his wife, she was allowed to make his entrance with him as he was announced, and they made their way over to the table that had been reserved for Elliot's family.

"Mom," Elliot said, kissing Bernie's cheek. "Dad, can I talk to you for a second?" he asked, addressing his father.

Joe nodded. Elliot kissed Olivia's cheek and said, "I'll be right back." He walked with his father to a far corner and asked, "Where'd she go? Where the hell is Serena?"

"I asked her to leave," Joe said, running a hand down his face. "She said she had a right to see her son-in-law graduate. She walked off, but I think...she's still around. I got a guy at the door, looking for her. She wants to see Olivia."

"Not gonna happen," Elliot said. He bit his lip and sighed, looking at his father. "Look, I did the whole Marine thing, so you have to hold up your end of the bargain. Three years, that's it, and then..."

"I know," Joe said, raising his hands defensively. "Elliot, I don't say this often, but I'm proud of you. Very proud of you."

Elliot looked at him, stunned, but he smiled. "Thanks, Dad," he said, nodding. He turned, with his father, and they walked back to the table. He wrapped his arms around Olivia, his hands traveling to her belly. "We should tell them," he whispered into her ear.

"Now?" Olivia questioned, turning to see him, her eyes wide.

Elliot nodded and kissed her. "I just graduated, Liv. I think it's the perfect time to share even more good news."

Olivia shrugged and took a deep breath, then she turned to the table. She met eyes with his brother and sisters, then Brian, who was surely going to feel some kind of anguish at the news. She saw Kathy, who would probably faint, and then she saw Alex and Chester, who, in her opinion, had no right to be there. She looked at Casey and Fin, though, and smiled at them. "Uh, okay, so..."

"Liv and I have something pretty exciting to tell you," Elliot interrupted.

Olivia chuckled and leaned further into his backward hug. "You wanna tell them?" she asked, smirking.

"Yes, actually," Elliot said, smiling. He kissed her again, looked at his father and nodded once, then addressed the whole group. "We're gonna have..."

"Oh, my God," Kathy and Alex cried, together. Alex dropped her head into her hands, and Joe looked at her, puzzled.

"She's pregnant?" Brian asked, looking a little sad, but not surprised.

Elliot grinned like a shot fox and said, "Yes. We're having twins."

"Twins?" Kathy asked, her eyes drawn and foggy. "Wow, that's, uh, that's..."

Alex made a strangled sort of squeaking noise, again earning a confused look from Joey.

"Congrats, man!" Fin said brightly. "You two are gonna be awesome parents."

Elliot smiled at his friend, said, "I know we are," and kissed Olivia's neck.

Olivia, suddenly quiet and pale, pushed herself out of Elliot's arms. "Excuse me," she said, running toward the bathroom.

"Liv!" Elliot called after her, but Casey got up. "I'll go," she said. She ran after Olivia, and found her bent over the sink, splashing her face with cold water.

"Benson," Casey said, "What's the matter, honey?"

Olivia shook her head. "Case, please, just...gimme a minute."

"No way," Casey retorted. "Tell me what's wrong. Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not okay," Olivia said, turning around and trying to catch her breath. "I'm eighteen, I'm pregnant with twins." She started to hyperventilate, and she tried to slow her breathing. "Jesus," she spat. "I have no idea what I'm passing down to these poor, little things, because I don't know what was passed down to me from my psycho of a father! Elliot's leaving, he could die out there, and I can't be somebody's mother, Casey! I have no idea what the hell a mother is supposed to do!"

Casey's eyes widened. She had never seen Olivia, who was usually so strong and so fierce, break down like this. "Olivia," she said, "Elliot is going to be fine. You are going to be a great mother, because you are nothing like yours."

Olivia closed her eyes, and she felt herself sliding down the wall to the floor. "Casey," she cried, tears finally falling, "I can't do this! Not by myself."

"Why are you so sure something's going to happen to him, Olivia?" Casey asked, sitting beside her friend.

Olivia scoffed. "I'm not supposed to be happy, Casey. Every time I am, something or someone comes along and screws it up. He's not gonna come home, and I'm gonna be left..." she paused, choking on her words as he head dropped into Casey's chest. "I'm so scared, Case," she whispered, crying.

They heard the bathroom door open, and they heard a voice say, "There's nothing to be afraid of, Olivia."

Casey and Olivia popped their heads up, and they both went pale. There was plenty to be afraid of now.

* * *

Dinner was being served, as Elliot played with his niece, though clearly avoiding Alex and Kathy. "She really is beautiful, Joey," he said.

"Yeah, but yours are gonna be gorgeous," Brian said. "With your genes and Olivia's, there's no way you're having ugly babies."

Elliot smiled, thinking about it. "Yeah," he said softly. "Liv is really gorgeous." He handed the baby to Joey, then finally turned to Alex, who was sitting next to him. "Can I just ask, what the hell you are doing here?"

"I invited her," Joey said, giving Elliot a look.

"Oh," Elliot said as he rolled his eyes. "Oh, no, you are not dating...shit, Joey!"

Chester, smirking, said, "Yeah, it was a shock to me, too, Stabler."

"How are ya, Lake?" Elliot asked.

"I've been better," Chester said. "You?"

Elliot smirked. "Couldn't be happier. Liv and I..." he paused, looking around the room, then looking toward the bathroom. "Where's Liv? She never came back from the bathroom."

Joe looked up from his steak with a disconcerting look on his face. "What?" he asked, his jaw clenching.

"She's been gone for a while," Elliot said. "She and Casey should have..."

"Damn it," Joe spat, interrupting. "I knew I oculdn't trust him!" He rose from his seat and ran toward the bathroom.

Elliot got up, too, running after him. They both bolted into the bathroom and found Casey, unconscious on the floor with shattered glass near her head. There was blood next to her, but it, clearly, wasn't hers. "Oh, my God!" Elliot yelled. He knelt beside Casey and shook her, slapping her face gently. "Case," he said, panicking. "Casey, come on, Novak!"

Casey rolled her head, then opened her eyes. "Ow," she complained. "Olivia, what the hell..."

"She's gone!" Elliot yelled. "It's me, Elliot! Casey, what the fuck happened in here?"

"Gone?" Casey questioned, squinting. "Oh, my God, Elliot! Her mother was here. She came over and was being really...really nice, and Olivia was actually talking to her, like, pouring her heart out. Serena held her, helped her to her feet, and then she whipped out this bottle..."

Elliot was fuming now. "When? How long ago?"

Casey shook her head and tried to sit up, with Elliot's father's help. "I don't know. How long were we gone?"

Joe, checking her pulse, said, "About ten minutes."

"Okay, so, we were talking for about five, then she started crying, and then..."

"Crying?" Elliot asked, scared and worried. "Shit," he spat. "Dad, stay with her. Get her a doctor. I'm going after them."

Before Joe could say anything, Elliot ran out of the bathroom and headed for the main entrance.

Fin and Brian, seeing this, looked at each other, then ran. Fin ran into the bathroom as Brian ran after Elliot.

"Stabler, man," Brian yelled as he chased him, "Wait up!"

"Run faster," Elliot yelled, ripping the sword off of his hip, ripping his white gloves off, and hopping into Olivia's car.

Brian got in beside him, looking at him. "I don;'t know what's going on, but you're not doing whatever it is you're doing by yourself."

"Thanks," Elliot said as he peeled out of the parking lot. In less than five minutes of driving, though, as they pulled up to a red light, he caught sight of a white car, with a girl who looked like Olivia in the front passenger seat. "Shit," he said. "That's them." The light turned green, and he slammed on the gas, weaving in and out of traffic, changing lanes and cutting people off, until he was right next to them. Serena must not have noticed, because she didn't speed up. "Brian," Elliot said, "Call my father. Give him the plate number of the car." He handed Brian his cell phone.

Brian started dialing as Elliot pulled the little beetle closer to the white sedan. He honked the horn, watching Olivia's head turn to him. Her eyes widened and she shook her head. "Stop," she mouthed to him.

Elliot, not stopping, narrowed his eyes and pulled even closer. "Brian, take the wheel," he said.

"I'm on the phone!" Brian yelled, reaching with one hand, awkwardly, to grab the wheel. "Shit, Stabler, we're gonna die!"

"No, we're not!" Elliot yelled. He opened the door and stood up, ignoring the honking from the cars behind him. He stood on the rim of the door, reaching for Olivia's door handle.

"Stabler, man, what the fuck are you doing?" Brian yelled, forgetting he was on the phone with his father.

"Saving my wife," Elliot yelled back. He grabbed the handled and yanked, but the door was locked. Olivia tried to unlock it, but something pulled at her. It was her mother.

That's when Serena noticed Elliot. That's when she swerved the car to the right, and that's when she lost control of the car.

Elliot fell back into his seat and watched, horrified, as the white car jumped the curb and crashed into the brick building on the corner. "Fuck!" he yelled, stepping on the brake. The car screeched to a halt and he jumped out. "Liv! Olivia!" he screamed, running toward the car. He yanked open the passenger seat, wrapped his arms around Olivia, who was lying on the airbag, and scooped her out of the car. "Baby," he said softly, his whole body shaking.

Sirens in the distance were coming closer, and Brian ran over to tell Elliot help was on the way. He knelt down on the other side of Olivia, tears in his own eyes, wondering if he'd ever get to tell her the truth about how he really felt.

"Liv," Elliot cried, tears streaming down his cheeks, "Honey, open your eyes."

Olivia groaned as her head fell to one side. He fingers clutched Elliot's sleeve, and she blinked her eyes open. "El," she whispered. "Elliot...El?"

"I'm here, baby," Elliot said, letting out a relieved breath. "I got you, Liv. I'm right here."

"What...what happened?" Olivia asked, quietly. "You were jumping out of the car...then..."

"Your mother drove into a bank," Elliot said, sniffling.

Olivia groaned, dropping her head back again. "Bitch," she mumbled.

Brian smiled at her, brushing her hair back, thankful Elliot didn't notice. Then he rose, standing beside them, and waved over the EMT's and Elliot's father. "Over here," he yelled.

Elliot wouldn't let go of Olivia's hand as they lifted her onto the stretcher, and he didn't even look to see if her mother was still alive or not. "She's pregnant," he said to the medic.

"Yeah, I am," Olivia moaned as the EMT strapped her in.

"We'll check her out and we'll make sure she's okay," the medic said, rolling the stretcher toward the ambulance.

Elliot walked with them, and got into the back of the vehicle, still holding Olivia's hand. He nodded gratefully at Cassidy, who was giving his account of what had happened to a few officers.

Cassidy nodded back, hoping Olivia and the babies were going to be okay, and dreading what Kathy would say about him jumping up to save Olivia. As he saw Olivia look at him, and smile her thanks, he knew that he didn't really care. He would do it again in a heartbeat. He watched the ambulance doors close and he watched it drive away, and he felt his heart crack slightly because he wasn't with her. With them.

"Hey, kid," one officer suddenly said. "Did ya see where the driver went?"

"Elliot?" Brian asked. "He went with..."

"No," the cop interrupted. "The driver of the white car. There's no one in the vehicle."

Brian's eyes widened as he turned to Joe Stabler. "Mister Stabler," he said, scared, "We have a problem."

Joe pulled his gun out of his holster, took the safety off, and said, "No, Brian." He pulled the cartridge, dropping a bullet into the chamber. "We don't."

**A/N: What is Joe gonna do? Are Olivia and Elliot's twins okay? And who do they meet in the hospital? An old friend. ;) More? It's a time jump a'comin, so if you want it, lemme know. Here, or on Twitter: TMG212**


	44. Chapter 44

**A/N: Sorry about the lack of updates! Had a camp overnight, and then FF wasn't cooperating! Back now! Chapters have been short lately due to my busy schedule, but tomorrow and Sunday should bring more, longer ones. So…on with the story…**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and characters. TStabler© owns this story. **

Elliot was waiting in Olivia's hospital room. Hoping she would wake up soon. The doctor had already told him that everything was fine. But he wanted to make sure himself. He wanted to look into her eyes and know for certain that she, and his children., were really okay.

Olivia stirred in her sleep, then fluttered her eyes open. "El," she whispered.

"Right here, baby," Elliot whispered back, relief and love in his voice. He squeezed her hand to prove he was, in fact, right next to her.

"Stop that," she said, knowing he was worrying over nothing. "I'm fine."

Elliot smiled down at her. "I know you are," he said. "You've survived worse. Much worse."

"Survived…mother…my mother was in the car," Olivia stammered. "What happened to her."

"Oh, Liv," Elliot said, lowering his eyes, "My dad…I'm…I'm sorry." He said, scooting his chair closer to her bed and dropping a kiss to her forehead. He just didn't know how to tell her.

* * *

In the waiting room, tension was running high. Joey was next to Alex, who was looking at Chester as if he was going to explode at any moment. Chester was twirling a quarter back and forth over his knuckles as he glared at Joey. Casey was holding onto Fin for dear life, and he was returning the favor. Bernie was in a corner, surrounded by her other children, and she was crying silently for many reasons. Kathy was holding Maureen, looking from Joey to Brian. Brian looked as if he'd lost his best friend. He almost had. Kathy didn't know how close he, Olivia and Elliot really were, and she didn't know that he was still in love with Olivia, but trying hard not to let himself go that far, for the sake of his wife and his friends.

The scene was grim, and the doctor's reassurance that Olivia would be fine did little to calm the group.

"Why did you go with him?" Kathy spat harshly in a whisper to Brian, breaking the stone silence.

Brian looked at his wife, raised an eyebrow, then said, "He's my best friend, and she's his wife. I had to go."

"Fin is his best friend, and he could have gone. Fin _should_ have gone," Kathy retorted.

"You can have more than one best friend, Kathy!" Brain chimed. "And I wanted to make sure she was okay! Her mother is a loose cannon, and when she drinks, Olivia is not safe. At all. I think tonight proved that!"

Kathy shook her head. "God, you are a horrible liar," she said. "You went because you're still in love with her."

"If I was still in love with her, I wouldn't be with you!" Brian yelled, making everyone look at them. "Shit," he spat. "Forget it," he mumbled, leaving Kathy's side to push through the doors to check on Olivia.

Alex looked at Chester, and cautiously spoke. "This isn't exactly how you planned your return to Manhattan, is it?" she asked with a light chuckle.

"Benson in a hospital, Stabler by her side, Cassidy with his shorts in a twist, Fin and Casey sucking face," he listed. "It's like I never left." He looked over at her and said, "Except for you. It seems you finally found a suitable enough replacement for Elliot. Coincidentally, still a Stabler."

Joey piped up then. "For the last time, she is not with me just because I look like my brother!"

"No," Lauren, his sister, said. "She's with you because you sound like him, act like him, have the same eyes as him, and from what I heard from Kathy, you kiss just like him." She laughed a disgusted laugh. "You and Elliot should have been twins. You know they run in the family."

Joey rolled his eyes. "Why is it so hard to believe that someone like me for me?" he asked, hurt.

Nicole, his other sister, put a hand on his shoulder. "It isn't, Joey. It's just hard to believe that it's Alex. None of us trust her."

"Thanks," Alex scoffed.

"Anytime," Lauren said with a smirk.

Chester saw something flash in Alex's eyes, something that told him that the Stabler sisters were right not to trust Alex. He smirked, making a pledge to prove them right.

Joe Stabler, annoyed and worried, finally walked in through the sliding doors. He was disheveled looking and out of breath as he asked, "How is she?"

"Where is that horrible woman, Joe?" Bernie asked, rising from her chair. "Did you get her?"

Joe took a breath. "Yeah," he said. "I got her, Berns."

Joey looked up at his father, wondering if he was really out chasing Serena the whole time, or with the woman he knew his father was seeing behind his mother's back. "Well?" he inquired.

"Yeah," Joe said, sighing sadly. "We got her."

* * *

Olivia was staring at Elliot, as he finished telling her what had happened, and she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "It's over then, for real. Forever," she said.

"Yeah," Elliot said, brushing her hair back. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," Olivia said. "I'm not. The woman tried to kill me. Even before she crashed the car, El, she told me that I made a mistake when I married you. She told me I was making a mistake having these babies, and she was gonna fix it." She squeezed her eyes shut, swallowed hard, and said, "She hit me again. She was drunk, she was…"

"Shh," Elliot said, stroking her hair and kissing her lightly. "Baby, stop. It's over. She will never hurt you again. My father made sure of that."

Olivia laughed as she sniffled. "Guess I have to stop hating him, huh?"

"I wouldn't go that far," Elliot chuckled. "I mean, he has his moments, but for the most part, he's a pain in the ass."

Olivia laughed and kissed Elliot again, nuzzling his nose. "You are my everything, you know that?"

"I do," Elliot said. "I know, because you're mine. And my father knows that. That's why he did what he did. He didn't know he was gonna have to shoot her, but she had a gun and…baby, did she pull the gun on you?"

Olivia was silent.

Brian, who up until now was in shocked silence, said, "Of course she did, Elliot. Why else would Olivia have gone with her?"

Elliot turned, startled, then calmed down and said, "Hey, man. Thanks for everything you did tonight. Really."

"No problem," Brian said, smiling. "As long as she's safe, I'd do anything…for either of you," he quickly said, so as to not sound as if he was in love with her. "Hey, uh, so twins."

"Yeah," Elliot said proudly. He looked down at Olivia and smiled. "Hey, Bri, when I'm gone, you and Fin…you'll take care of her, right?"

Brian caught Olivia's eyes, and he nodded. "You know I will. We will."

Elliot mumbled a thank you as he pressed his lips to Olivia's, an action that was both lovely and painful for Brian to watch, and ran his hand over her body.

Brian sighed and walked out of the room, heading back into the waiting room. He walked up next to Kathy and said, "You're going to have to start getting along with her." He narrowed his eyes slightly as he walked out of the hospital altogether.

Casey looked up at Fin and said, "We should go in to see her before it gets too late."

"Yeah," Fin said, taking Casey by the hand and pulling her toward Olivia's room.

The Stablers watched Fin and Casey walk into the room, then heaved a collective relieved sigh. All but Chester Lake, who had a plan to set into motion.

"Alex," Chester said, smirking, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

**A/N: What is he going to do? Does Alex really love Joey for the right reasons now? Why will Kathy and Olivia need to get along? And what happens when Trevor and Elliot have to work together? But how? Want to know? Review here or on Twitter: TMG212 **


	45. Chapter 45

**A/N: What is he going to do? Does Alex really love Joey for the right reasons now? Why will Kathy and Olivia need to get along? And what happens when Trevor and Elliot have to work together?**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and characters. TStabler© owns this story.**

December 22nd, 2000

Olivia looked around the base house, sighing. It was beautiful decorated with wreaths and candles, and the tree in the corner was magnificent. It had been almost three weeks since Elliot had left, since the Marines sent him away when they said they wouldn't. It had been three weeks since Olivia watched her mother, in a pine box, be lowered into the ground, thanking God it was over. Now, in three days, she'd be four months pregnant, and alone for yet another holiday. "Christmas sucks," she muttered, sending a porcelain angel flying across the living room.

Casey, sitting on her couch, said, "Guess that's one angel who got its wings a little early." She rose and walked over to Olivia, who was a bit bigger as she housed Elliot's twins. "Honey, he's coming home. Just not in time for Christmas."

"He missed Thanksgiving," Olivia said. "He promised he'd be home for Christmas."

Casey sighed. "It's the Marines," she said. "They never keep their promises. You just have to be..."

"I don't want to be patient!" Olivia yelled. "I'm eighteen, married, pregnant, my husband is in some foreign country saving the lives of people I really don't give a shit about when he should be home with me, feeling these babies kick, and going to the doctor with me, and...fuck, Case. I don't wanna do this anymore." She fell into the couch seat beneath her and cupped her own face as she sobbed.

Casey sat beside her, rubbing her back lightly. "Sweetie, it's gonna be..."

"It's not gonna be okay," Olivia said. "Casey, I think...she was right."

Casey tilted her head. "Who was?" she asked, squinting.

"My mother," Olivia said. "I think I made the biggest mistake of my life." She turned and fell into Casey's arms, crying hard.

All Casey could do was hold her and let her cry, closing her eyes, praying Elliot would come home soon.

* * *

"Stabler!" a commanding voice yelled.

"Sarge," Elliot replied, standing at attention.

"You need to get into the tent," his sergeant told him. "Satellite signals are failing, and you're the only one who can work the program."

Elliot nodded, gave a quick salute, and headed into the tent a few feet away where the mobile equipment had been set up. He looked at his station and his eyes popped. "You?" he questioned. "What are you doing here?"

Trevor Langan looked up and smirked. "Semester abroad," he said. "I'm shadowing Lou Henshall, and he's here..."

"I know why he's here," Elliot said. "Move," he barked, pushing Trevor out of the way. He sat in his folding chair and typed a series of complicated codes into his computer. "You'll find that I'm not hacking into any European systems, everything's fucking legal."

"I'm sure it is," Trevor said. "By the way, Olivia...she's not doing well. She's lonely. Very lonely. I'm wondering if you want me to..."

"Touch her, and I will kill you," Elliot said harshly, gritting his teeth as he worked.

Trevor sighed. "I was going to ask if you wanted me to get you out of here so you could be home for Christmas."

Elliot's head popped up to meet Trevor's eyes. "How the hell do you plan to do that?"

Trevor smirked, looked around, and whispered, very smugly, to Elliot, "Trust me."

* * *

"Absolutely not," Kathy said, shaking her head. Her arms folded over her bump and she glared at her husband.

"She's not gonna be alone on Christmas, Kathy," Brian said. "Not in her condition. I promised Elliot..."

"Fuck Elliot!" Kathy yelled. "And fuck Olivia! She chose to have those babies with him, knowing he was leaving. She married him, Brian. She made that life for herself! Let her live her life, I don't want her in mine!"

Brian laughed bitterly. "You can't stand to look at her, knowing he chose her over you, and she's living the life you want. Is that it? She makes you so insanely jealous..."

"She makes me sick, Brian!" Kathy yelled again. "Everyone, as long as I've known her, has bent over backwards, keeping her safe, and trying to protect her. She has everyone in her life wrapped around her fucking finger. Every man she's ever met falls in love with her because she's damaged. Anything she wants, she gets, and ya know it? She doesn't fucking deserve any of it! We all had shitty childhoods and fucked up parents. We got over it! She's not a fucking princess, damn it, and I'll be damned if I'm gonna join the Olivia Benson fan club just because she got to you, too!"

Brian, shocked, said, "Now tell me how you really feel."

"You don't wanna hear it," Kathy spat. "You wanna spend Christmas with that little bitch, because God forbid she spend one night alone, then go the fuck ahead. Do it without me and without Maureen. We'll be with my parents."

Brian ran a hand down his face and sighed. "Fine," he said. "Have fun. Send them my love." He grabbed his keys and his jacket and said, "I gotta go do some last minute Christmas shopping. If I see a heart anywhere, on sale, should I pick it up for you?"

Kathy gave him an evil glare, then watched him slam the door. She walked into the nursery to make sure the yelling hadn't woken her daughter, then looked over at the night table. She looked at the framed picture of Elliot, Brian, and Olivia, looking happy, and knew that those smiles held more in them than her own ever would.

* * *

"Honey, be reasonable," Alex's mother said. "You can not drop out of high school. You only have a few months left till graduation."

Alex rolled her eyes. "I'm failing half of my classes anyway," she mumbled.

Alex's father huffed and crossed his arms. "Because for three years, you have been cheating off of Olivia and making Casey write your papers for you. Now that there's bad blood between you and Casey, and Olivia's not there, you have to do things on your own. That's why you want to leave," he explained. "You are staying, you are graduating, you are going to college. End of story."

"What if I don't?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No trust fund," her mother answered with a smirk.

Alex rolled her eyes, then headed upstairs. She grabbed her cell phone, dialing Chester's number. "It's me," she said. "They didn't go for it. Maybe if I just take off..." she paused, listening to him. "He is? How did you find that out? Well, I'll meet him at the airport then, because she can't. She doesn't? Oh, this is perfect. I can't believe you're really on my side here, Chessie." She chuckled and hung up the phone.

Chester, hanging up on his end, looked up at Elliot's sisters. "You heard her," he said. "She wants to meet Elliot at the airport." He cleared his throat, proud of himself for putting the call on speaker.

"How do we tell Joey?" Nicole asked.

Lauren, sad eyed, said, "I don't think we have to." She looked at the doorway to the living room, and saw Joey, standing there, shocked.

"Joey, man," Chester said, "Say something."

Joey took a deep breath, blinked a few times, and said, "Forget about Alex. Dad's cheating on mom."

Lauren and Nicole looked at him, then at each other. "Well," Lauren said, "This day just keeps getting better."

* * *

Fin, rocking a sleeping Ken, looked up when he heard the door open. "Hey," he said with a smile.

"Hey," Casey said, looking at him softly.

"How is she?" Fin asked, putting the boy in his crib.

Casey shook her head. "She's not good. She's angry, she's hormonal, she did nothing but cry. I left when she fell asleep. I called Lauren. She shouldn't be alone, she..." she paused and licked her lips. "She doesn't want the kids anymore, and she wants to sign annulment papers. She's losing it, Fin. She's convinced that Elliot's..."

"He's coming home," Fin interrupted. "For Christmas. Tonight." He brushed the hair out of Casey's eyes. "It's a surprise though, so..."

"Thank God," Casey spat, excited. She kissed him, but they were broken apart by the knock on the door. "That's Melinda," she said, annoyed.

Fin nodded. "Probably," he said. He walked over to the door, opened it, and saw Melinda standing there, in a black dress. "Hey," he said, his brow furrowed. She looked gorgeous.

"Fin, I need you to keep Kenny for another night," Melinda said. "I have a date, and..."

"Date?" Fin asked, irritated. "Okay, yeah. Uh, no problem. Have fun."

Melinda smiled at him. "Thanks," she said with a smile. She kissed his cheek and walked away, smirking. Phase one of her plan was complete, and she knew it was successful.

* * *

"What is taking so long?" Alex asked, her leg bopping. "And why is your entire fuicking family here? I told you I would pick him up."

Nicole looked at her and smirked. "He's my brother, and their son. It was nice of you to offer to pick him up, but we got it. You can go now."

"Like hell," Alex said. "I have something to say to him when he gets off that plane, and dammit, I'm gonna say it."

Joey came up from behind her and said, "I'd like it if you didn't."

"Joey!" Alex cried, standing. "How did you know what I was going..."

"Alex," Joey said, shaking his head. "I really thought you were different, ya know? Thought you realized..." he stopped, then looked at her. "Stay away from me, stay away from my family, and leave. Now."

Alex's eyes filled with tears. "I have to tell him," she said.

Bernie cried out, seeing Elliot come out into the waiting room, and after he was done being hugged by his family, he walked over to his brother and Alex. "Joey, man," he said, shaking his brother's hand. "Where's Liv?"

"Home, like you asked. It's a surprise, right?" Joey asked with a shrug. "Oh, uh, Alex, my ex-girlfriend, has something she'd like to tell you."

Elliot's eyes widened, and he said, "Ex?"

"Yeah," Joey said. "She's in love with you. Not me." He saw the look on her face and said, "Oh, sorry, Alex. Is that what you wanted to tell him?"

Elliot just looked at her and shook his head, then followed his family out of the airport, leaving Alex alone.

* * *

Olivia, after crying herself to sleep, was awakened by a fierce knock on her door. "All right," she mumbled, rolling up and off the couch. "Okay! Cut it out! I'm coming!" She opened the door and was nearly knocked over by Brian and his armfuls of bags. "Cassidy, what the hell?"

"Sorry," Brian said. "But if I took all of this home, Kathy would kill me. I brought it here since, well, it's all yours." He grabbed something out of the first bag and said, "Look! It says, 'My daddy can beat up your daddy!" He tossed the onesie to Olivia and dig in the bag again. "This one, is a little tiny Marine's uniform," he said, tossing it to her. "I love this one," he said, holding up a pink onesie. "If you think I'm cute, you should see my mother."

"Woah," Olivia said, catching the third outfit, "Cassidy, what did you do?"

Brian shrugged. "Early Christmas presents," he said. "I got bottles, diapers, and wipes, and a lot of clothes for a boy and a girl. Oh, this, Olivia, you're gonna love. Look." He handed her the photo frame, smiling at her. "Hand carved, specially designed for twins. See? It's got the words 'two of a kind' engraved on the..."

"Why?" Olivia asked, interrupting.

Brian looked at her, his eyes filling with love. "Uh, I guess cause twins are usually..."

"No," Olivia said, cutting him off again. "Why did you do all of this?"

"Olivia, when Elliot left, I promised him I would take care of you," Brian said. "I know he meant, like, a friend or whatever, but I know you're second guessing everything. You're angry and hurting, and you think this was all a mistake. You know none of that is true, right? You've never been happier, I know you haven't. I know you're scared, but look at this stuff, Benson!" He gestured to the bags and boxes.

"Stabler," Olivia said, smiling a bit.

"Yeah, no, you're still Benson," Brian said with a laugh. "Think of how much fun those two little rugrats are gonna be, and how happy Elliot is going to make the three of you. How...happy you make him." He turned back to her, trying to shield the pain of what he had just said, and he whispered. "How munch Uncle Brian already loves you. Them."

Olivia dropped the onesies in her hands and said, "You have no idea how much I needed to hear that." She gave him a hug, not realizing it was more than just a hug to him. "Thank you, Bri. For everything."

Brian pulled back from her, looked into her eyes, and took a deep breath. With Elliot gone, this was his chance. He let it out and said, "Olivia, there's something I have to tell you." He moved closer to her, bending his head. "I'm..." he moved closer still, tilting his head, aware that she was moving back, away form him, but he held her still. His lips brushed over hers lightly as he whispered, "I'm in love with..."

"Liv!" a voice cried, the door slamming open.

Olivia turned to the door and her eyes widened. "Oh, my God!" she yelled. She left Brian to leap into Elliot's arms. "How did you...how..."

"Trevor," Elliot said. "He was doing some kind of semester abroad thing with Lou Henshall, the lawyer who's auditing my sergeant. He brought over a document, signed by a few commanders in Washington, demanding that I be home for Christmas. I don't know who, or how, and I really don't care. I'm here." He kissed her, hard, then said, "Baby, Lauren told me Casey said...you think we made a mistake?"

Olivia's eyes dropped as Brian's widened. Was there hope for him?

"El," Olivia began, "I don't want to do this alone. I...I don't know what I'm feeling, or saying, or doing."

"You're not gonna do this alone, I promised you I would be here, and I am. I'm right here," Elliot told her in a whisper. "Please, never think that we are a mistake, that these beautiful babies are a mistake."

Through her tears, Olivia chuckled. "I don't," she said. "I was just emotional. I love you, and I love them." She kissed him again, their arms wrapping around each other tighter.

Elliot pulled away for the second time and noticed Brian, watching them. "Hey, man," he said, nodding. "What's all that?"

"Just, uh, stuff for you and the kids," Brian said.

"Wow. You didn't have to do all of that, bro," Elliot said. He nodded with a smile and said, "Thank you for being here for her."

Brian, looking into Olivia's eyes, both promising not to say anything about the fact he had almost kissed her, said, "I will always be right here."

**A/N: Will Olivia tell Elliot that Brian almost kissed her? Where does everyone spend Christmas? What is Melinda's plan? And what happens when Elliot leaves again? More? Tell me on here, or on Twitter: TMG212**


	46. Chapter 46

**A/N: Does Olivia tell Elliot that Cassidy tried to kiss her? Where does everyone spend Christmas? SHORT AND MAY CONTAIN ERRORS DUE TO EMMY WATCHING!**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© owns this story. **

"I called your parents," Olivia said, her head in Elliot's lap. "They send their love, and they're sorry they're spending Christmas in Ohio with your uncle. They didn't think you would be coming home."

Elliot shrugged. "I think we will have a great Christmas by ourselves, baby," he said as he kissed her. "You and me, and Brian said that he was..."

Olivia interrupted him. "About Brian," she said, sitting up. "El, I have to tell you something, and you have to promise me that you'll stay calm." She looked into his eyes and took a deep breath as he nodded.

* * *

"Fin," Casey said, tilting her head. "Is this gonna be weird for you?"

Fin shook his head. "We're having Christmas dinner with your mom and Melinda's dad. Meaning you and me are gonna be spendin' Christmas with Mel. This won't be weird at all."

Casey sighed. "I know it'll be awkward…"

"Awkward?" Fin questioned. "Nah, a one legged flamingo is awkward, this is some serious reality show shit, Case. Your mom is gonna marry my ex-girlfriend's father. Meanin' if we get married, you're gonna be your stepson's aunt! His mom is gonna be my sister-in-law! This is…this is fucked up!"

"Okay," Casey said, nodding. "It's messed up, but what can we do about it?"

Fin shook his head. "I don't know," he said. He walked into the bathroom, closed the door behind him, and sat on the closed toilet. He pulled his cell phone and sent a text message. He waited a few moments, and then looked down at his buzzing phone. He smiled as he read the response, but looked up at the door with guilty eyes. He was more confused now than he had ever been, and more determined to straighten it all out.

* * *

"Alex, get down here," Misses Cabot yelled up the stairs. "We're gonna be late!"

Alex yelled back, "I don't wanna go! Why do we have to spend Christmas with them?"

Her father yelled, angry, and said, "Because we were invited, and they are close family friends! Young lady, I am sick of this attitude. Now, I know you have a little crush on…"

Alex stormed out of her room and stood at the top of the stairs. "A little crush?" she asked, bitter. "Dad, I can't eat. I can't sleep. I see his face everywhere, and I hate the person who used to be my best friend because she has him and I don't. It's not a crush, Dad. I'm in love with him."

Her father rolled his eyes. "You can not be in love with someone who has never, not once, given you any inclination he feels the same," he said. "He has always had a thing for Olivia, and you know it. Stop being ridiculous and…"

"He has!" Alex yelled. "That's what people don't get!" She stormed into her room and slammed the door, fell onto her bed, and pulled out the journal she'd kept since the eighth grade. She flipped open to a page, written her freshman year, and read the note taped to it that described, what she believed, was Elliot's declaration of love for her. The note was written to Olivia, but it had been slipped into her locker by mistake. She read the words, so pure and eloquent, and she sighed. "You meant for this to get to me," she said, speaking to a nonexistent Elliot. "You were so heartbroken when she didn't answer you, but you knew it was because she never got it, and you wanted me to read it. It was meant for me. You were meant for me, Elliot." She kissed the note, put it back into her journal, and rolled her eyes as once again her parents called her down to leave. "God, Mom!" she yelled. "I don't wanna have Christmas dinner with the Lakes!"

* * *

"Where did you say Brian was spending Christmas?" Kathy's father asked, flipping the page of his newspaper.

Kathy, holding Maureen, turned to him. "With Olivia and Elliot," she said. "You understand why I didn't want to join him."

"No," her father said. "Actually, I don't. You have to let it go, Kathy. You screwed up with Elliot; he fell in love with someone else. Brian's mature enough to handle being friends with them, why can't you be the same? He is your husband; you need to concentrate on him. You made your bed, now lie in it."

Kathy raised her eyebrows. "Are you serious? You're taking his side?"

"Well, you're being ridiculous," her father told her. "What, if anything, has Olivia really ever done to you? Elliot was the one who broke up with you, she didn't ask him to do it. In fact, I remember Elliot telling me that she asked him about you and wasn't going to be with him until she knew for certain you weren't together. You can not blame them for falling in love. If you had been nicer, treated him and his friends better, he might not have strayed."

"You amaze me, Dad," Kathy said, rolling her eyes. "I came here expecting a little sympathy."

Her father laughed. "I gave him your grandmother's ring to propose to her with because I know true love when I see it," he said. "I have no sympathy for you, Kathy. None at all."

* * *

"Elliot," Olivia said, looking at him. "Say something."

Elliot blinked. "He didn't, did he?" he asked. "I mean, you said you think he tried to, but he didn't."

"He would have had a broken jaw," Olivia said.

Elliot ran a hand down his face. "You really think he tried to kiss you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "He had one hand around my neck, the other on my back. El, he was coming at me and he said he thought he was in love with…and you came bursting through the door. I am pretty sure he was gonna kiss me."

"Shit," Elliot hissed, leaning forward. He shook his head a bit, then looked up at Olivia. "Liv," he began, getting her attention, "What would you have done?" he asked. "I mean, would you have, uh, would you have kissed him back?"

Olivia looked at him as if he was crazy, and they didn't hear the door open. "I can't believe you asked me that," she said, sounding hurt.

"Well, baby, he's the only one who has really been here for you," Elliot said. "You've spent a lot of time with him when I couldn't be here, and you have a history. You can't blame me for thinking that…and you doubted us, and you wanted…"

"Elliot," Olivia said, cutting him off, "I had doubts about us for about three seconds, because I'm pregnant and overemotional. I never meant it. Not really," she said. She took a breath and said, "I care about him, and I'm grateful that he was here for me when I needed a friend, but that is all he is. He's a good friend. You…you are everything to me. No, I wouldn't have kissed him back. The only person I want to kiss, for the rest of my life, is you."

Brian, having heard enough, sighed and smiled and said, "Merry Christmas, guys."

Elliot looked up at him, hurt in his eyes, and said, "Yeah. Merry Christmas."

"I know she told you," Brian said, sitting on the couch. "And I want you to know that, even if you hadn't walked in, I would have stopped. I'm having problems with Kathy, and she was there, and I got so excited about the kids…"

"Don't," Elliot said, breaking in. "Don't explain. Don't even try. I'm not gonna let this go, but I'm not gonna ruin my wife's Christmas, either. Let's just have a good night, okay? I'll kick your ass later."

Brian cleared his throat. "You can kick my ass, now," he said. "I know you're pissed. I would be, too, but nothing happened. She was never gonna let anything happen."

"But you were," Elliot said, standing and getting irritated. "I asked you to take care of her! I didn't mean by trying to get her in bed! Shit, I knew it was a mistake trusting you!" He pulled out his cell phone and said, "I have to make a phone call, excuse me!" He pulled Olivia with him into the bedroom, not trusting her alone with Brian. "Trevor? It's Elliot. Who did you talk to in order to get that…really?" he asked, sounding surprised. "Thanks. Because I'm gonna take him up on his offer. I'm not going back there. I'm staying here, with my wife and my kids."

Olivia gasped and smiled as Elliot hung up the phone. "You are?" she asked.

Elliot looked back at her and smiled. "I have to talk to Dean and his father, but yeah," he said. "It'll mean a few changes, and my dad won't be too happy, but I'm not leaving you again. I can't."

"You know I would never hurt you," Olivia said, tilting her head.

"Baby," Elliot said, kissing her, "It isn't you I'm worried about." He kissed her again and led her back into the living room. He glared at Brian as he sat and pulled Olivia down onto his lap. There was silence as they realized this would be a Christmas they would never forget.

**A/N: A breakup is coming. A reunion of sorts. A secret will be revealed that could change everything and a time jump to a more familiar moment. Next! Reviews are welcome and loved, here or on Twitter: TMG212**


	47. Chapter 47

**A/N: A breakup is coming in the next chapter. A reunion of sorts. A secret will be revealed that could change everything and a time jump to a more familiar moment is next.**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters. TStabler© owns this story.**

January 19, 2001 2:15PM

"What are you talking about?" Elliot yelled, his hands thrown up in the air.

"You were all over her, Elliot!" Olivia yelled back, her own arms flailing.

Elliot sighed and ran a hand down his face. "Liv, she tripped and landed on our table. I helped her up! Christ, she was old enough to be my mother!"

"She was hot," Olivia spat. "Not that I blame you, I mean I'm this fat, miserable, grumpy woman, of course you're going to jump at the first…"

"You are not fat," Elliot said, cupping his hand over her mouth. "You are pregnant. With my children, our little boy and our little girl. You're miserable, I'll give you that, but what pregnant woman isn't?" he asked with a small smile. "You've been grumpy for the past two days because I've had to drag you to all kinds of dinners and ceremonies and you feel uncomfortable. You want the truth, though?" he asked, looking into her eyes. "You were the most beautiful woman in the room, no matter where we went."

Olivia sighed behind his hand.

"Baby," Elliot said, still looking at her, "I didn't even notice anyone else, I swear. I was always looking at you, and every time I did I couldn't help but think how gorgeous you looked. You have two little lives inside of you, that we created together. It's the most beautiful thing in the world."

A tear rolled down Olivia's cheek. Elliot moved his hand from over her mouth and swiped the tear away with his thumb. "I love you," she whispered. "I'm sorry for yelling at you."

Elliot chuckled. "Don't worry about it," he said. "You're emotional and hormonal. You're five months pregnant, you can't really control what flies out of your mouth," he laughed.

Olivia furrowed her brow and smacked him in the arm. "Shut up," she said with a sniffle.

Elliot chuckled again. He pulled her close, wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her. "I love you so much, baby," he whispered to her. "But I really don't think we should stay in the bathroom forever."

Olivia laughed, kissed him, and said, "We can go back to the table. I'm okay now."

Elliot smiled, kissed her again, and led her back out to the reception hall. The dinner in honor of his General was almost over, and he couldn't want to get Olivia home.

* * *

"We graduate in five months," Casey said, staring up at the sky as she flattened out on the grass.

Alex, blowing the smoke out of her mouth, said, "Yeah, we do. It's so weird doing this without Benson."

"She followed her heart," Casey said. "We all have to do that, ya know. Even you. Which is why I forgave you."

"I never really tried to break them up," Alex said with a shrug. "There was no real reason to be mad at me."

"You walked in on him naked, listened to them have sex, like, a lot, you tried to kiss him, twice, and you were gonna tell him you were in love with him thinking he wouldn't go home to Olivia," Casey listed. "Christ, Alex, that note said 'Dear Liv' at the top of it! How could you have thought…"

"I don't wanna talk about it," Alex interrupted. "Can we talk about how we're five months away from begin actual adults, and our best friend is five months away from being an actual mother?"

Casey shook her head. "Four," she corrected. "And I think it's exciting. Ya know? She's gonna be a great mom."

"How is she gonna finish school?" Alex asked.

Casey laughed. "Nicole is gonna watch the kids so Olivia can go to her classes. Elliot's registering for night classes, and they're gonna work out their schedules so they can go to class together."

Alex shook her head. "They're so stupid," she said. "Why are they married? They're so young. He's in the Marines, and they're having kids? Dumbest shit I've ever heard."

"You would have done it," Casey said, turning her head.

Alex was silent, thinking about it. "Do what?" she asked.

"Put yourself in Olivia's shoes," Casey said. "You have nothing, no one, you just have your boyfriend. He's saved your life a few times, and he's your protector. You love him, so fucking much, and he has just told you that he's leaving. Marines, Army, Navy, whatever, and he could die. He doesn't want to do that without knowing what it is to be a husband and a father. He doesn't want to die without living his life." She swallowed back a tear as she realized exactly what Olivia had done. "You would give up your life to give him one, because he's saved yours so you feel you owe him, and you love him enough to do it."

Alex blinked. "Wow," she said. "Olivia really didn't…wow. I should probably talk to her, huh?" she asked.

"If you want your life back, and you want to give her some part of hers back, then yes," Casey said. "You should talk to her."

* * *

Melinda was sitting on Fin's couch, looking up at him with bright eyes. "How's school?" she asked.

"Great," Fin replied, smiling at her. "How's it goin' with you?" he asked.

Melinda smiled and shrugged. "I can't complain," she said. "I was thinking, uh, I know you and Casey are…"

"Havin' problems," Fin interrupted. "I don't wanna talk about it. But what were you gonna say?"

Melinda smirked. "Oh, uh, I was just gonna say I know you're together, but would she mind if you came with me to look at day care centers for Ken right now?"

"He's my son," Fin said. "Of course I'll go with you."

"Shouldn't you tell Casey?" Melinda asked.

Fin shook his head and grabbed his keys. "No," he said. "I don't need her permission." He looked at her and asked, "Besides, she's at school. You wanna get something to eat first?"

"I would love to," Melinda said, smiling. She grabbed the baby carrier and followed Fin out of his place.

* * *

"I think we should wait until Elliot can be here," Nicole said, looking at her parents.

Joe Senior shook his head. "I know he's busy," he said. "I will tell him about this later. Uh, I know what you kids think is going on…and you're wrong."

"So you're not cheating on Mom with your partner's wife?" Joe Junior asked, irritated.

"Joey, stop it," Joe said. "Your mother's sick," he told them. "Really sick. I can't…I can't watch her do the things she does, and I can't handle her moods, so I just…I stay away. It doesn't mean I don't love you, or that I don't love your mother, I just…"

Joey shook his head. "Are you going somewhere with this?" he asked, interrupting.

"Yeah, I am," his father said. "I'm trying to tell you that…I joined a program. A…group…thing."

"Are you telling us you joined AA, Dad?" Nicole asked, hopeful.

Joe nodded. "Yeah, and I'm not making any promises, but I'm gonna try to be better. For you, for Elliot, for the grandkids I'm about to have and the one I already have. I want to…I don't want to hurt you anymore."

"Is that it?" Joey asked. "You called a fucking family meeting to tell us that you're making another promise your just gonna break? God damn it, Dad, this is bullshit."

"Joey, please, stop…"

"No!" Joey yelled. "You're fucking around on mom, now you expect us to belive you actually wanna stop making our live shell, too? Shit. Elliot had the right idea when he left. The way you treated him…shit, how could you do that to your own son?"

"Damn it!" Joe yelled. "Joey, the only reason Elliot got the brunt of it is because he isn't mine!"

**A/N: Oh, my goodness! What does this mean? When did Alex and Casey start talking? What happens when Alex talks to Olivia? And what are we jumping to? Review for more! Here or on Twitter: TMG212 **


	48. Chapter 48

**A/N: Oh, my goodness! What does this mean? When did Alex and Casey start talking? What happens when Alex talks to Olivia? **

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns SVU and its characters; TStabler© owns this story. **

The family stood, staring at Joe, and tried to pretend that Bernie wasn't in tears beside him.

"What?" Nicole asked. "Does…does he know?" she questioned, her lower lip quivering.

Joe shook his head. "And you can't tell him," he snapped. "Any of you!"

"He deserves to know, Dad!" Joey yelled, furious. "Shit, what else have you been keeping from us?" he asked, pissed off.

"I'm not having an affair," Joe said sternly, meeting his son's eyes.

Then, Joey lightened. His eyes widened. "Hold on," he said. "Elliot and me…we could be fucking twins," he said, realization hitting him.

"Joey, please," Bernie cried.

"I'm not yours either, am I?" Joey asked, ignoring his mother's desperate plea. "Am I?" he yelled, starling his sisters.

Joe took a deep breath, then slowly shook his head.

"Thank God," Joey said, his words biting, as he turned and left the room. There was silence, then the sound of a slamming door. Joey had left the house, and when a Stabler man left angry, there was no telling what he would do.

* * *

Fin and Melinda, having just enrolled their son in a daycare center between Fin's school and Melinda's apartment, drove back to his place in silence. "We didn't have a single fight today," Fin said, acknowledging Melinda for the first time.

"No, we didn't," Melinda said. She smiled at him, and her heart broke. What she was doing was wrong, and she knew it. "Fin, listen, I asked you…"

"I haven't been able to stop thinkin' about you," Fin said, cutting her off. "When you showed up, in that dress, tellin' me you had a date, it…somethin' snapped."

"What?" Melinda asked, her breath taken away from her.

Fin shook his head. "I don't know," he said. "Maybe I just think that…you're the mother of my kid, like somehow that means you're mine, I don't know, but I got pissed, Mel."

"What are you saying, Fin?" Melinda asked, tilting her head.

"I guess I'm sayin' that I might wanna give us another shot," Fin told her. "Me and Case, we ain't really workin' right now. Maybe it's time to leave high school behind and do what's right for our son."

Melinda smiled at him. She nodded and said, "Maybe it is." Then she leaned over the console, kissed his cheek, and sat back. She smirked to herself and realized she'd won.

* * *

Alex strolled up the walkway, nervous and shaking, and lifted her finger to the doorbell. She looked around nervously, as if she were committing some kind of heinous crime. The door creaked open and her eyes filled with large, wet tears. "Olive," she whispered, her head dropping to her left.

"Wh…what?" Olivia asked, blinking in disbelief.

Alex sniffled and looked at her friend, taking in the sight of her. "Look at your belly," she cried with a laugh. "How does it feel to be so…pregnant?" she asked, unsure of what else to say.

Olivia, confused as to why Alex was crying on her doorstep, said, "I'll live. What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?" Alex asked, wiping her eyes.

Olivia said nothing, but stepped to the side.

Alex brushed passed her and sat on the couch, then looked up and started talking faster than she could think. "I know I've been a real bitch, and I have tried, unsuccessfully mind you, to get to Elliot…I don't even know why, this stupid letter I found in my locker freshman year," she said, holding the crumpled paper out to Olivia. "It was obviously to you, but part of me thought it was him trying to be discreet, and I held onto that hope for years. When we really started hanging out with him, I fell for him just as hard as you did."

Olivia took the letter and starting uncurling it, unraveling it from its ball. "Alex, what are you talking…"

"Olive," Alex said, looking up, "I miss you. I miss us. I know why you did all of this now, and it makes sense, I just wish you would have told him how you felt. He never would have made you do this."

Olivia's eyes widened as she saw the door behind the couch open, and she tried to get Alex to stop talking. "Alex, really, yeah, that's great. Shut up."

"I mean it, Benson," Alex said, holding Olivia's gaze. "If he loves you as much as you think he does, he would never have let you do something you weren't ready to do. Did you tell him that you didn't want to be a mother right now? You never told him you weren't ready to get married, that he practically ripped away…"

"Shut the fuck up, Alex!" Olivia yelled, hitting a hand to her forehead.

"Actually," Elliot said, stepping out of the bathroom, "I'd like to hear what she has to say." He looked from Alex to Olivia, hurt and discomfort in his eyes.

Alex turned around quickly, seeing Elliot, and said, "You…you were…wow, uh, I don't…I mean Casey just said…"

"So this is all coming from Casey?" Elliot asked, stepping closer to Olivia. "Meaning you don't really feel like that? Or did you tell Casey, thinking I would never find out?" he accused, the hurt in his eyes turning to anger.

Olivia looked at him, stunned, and said, "El, please, we already talked about this."

"No, we talked about what you said over Christmas. We never talked about this," Elliot said, tossing a hand backward. "Liv, do you really feel like I pushed you into all of this?"

"No!" Olivia yelled. "Okay? No, not…Alex isn't…she's trying to…"

"Spit it out, Benson," Elliot commanded, folding his arms.

Flashes of pain were clear in Olivia's eyes as Elliot spouted her name like that. He would have called her "Liv" or "Stabler," usually. She sat down, rubbing a hand over her large bump. "Elliot, when you told me you were really joining the Marines, I got scared," she said.

"I know you did," Elliot said. "So?" he asked, shrugging.

Olivia shook her head and swallowed again. "You told me how much you loved me…and you asked me to marry you because you didn't want to die without being able to call me your wife, you didn't want to leave me alone and unprotected. You told me you were making sure I'd be taken care of, and I thought you were only doing it for me, saving me yet again, so I gave you something back. And then when you told me you wanted to leave your legacy, just in case…just in case you...well, how could I deny you that?"

"Oh, my God," Elliot said softly, his eyes closing. He ran a hand down his face and shook his head. "Baby," he whispered, sitting next to her. "you can stop now," he said, holding up hand, having heard enough, feeling like an ass.

"You wanted to hear this, so I'm telling you," Olivia hissed, anger, hurt, and tears all pouring out of her. "You looked so hopeful, and happy, and after everything you did for me…I'm the fucking reason you had to leave in the first place!" she cried. "If you didn't have to ask your father for a damned favor just to save me, then you wouldn't have had to join the Marines, or go off to some training camp, or anything! I married you because I love you, because you wanted to…"

"But I wanted _you_ to want to," Elliot said, trying to wrap his head around what he was hearing. "Are you telling me you didn't?" he asked, worried.

Olivia rolled her eyes, letting a few more tears fall. "I wanted to marry you," she said. "You have to believe that I wanted to be your wife, and be the mother of your children, but El, I didn't want to do it all at eighteen."

"Jesus," Elliot said, screwing up his face in disappointment.

Olivia took a hold of his hand, then, and squeezed. He looked at her, and she returned his deep, longing gaze. "I was just as afraid of you dying as you were, so I did what I had to do to keep you safe, happy, and alive. I may not have been ready, but I was willing. I wanted to have your baby. And when I found out they were twins, I couldn't help thinking, 'These babies, El, are a part of you, and as long as I've got them…I'll know that you loved me."

Elliot swiped his thumb over the side of her hand. "You never told me you regretted…"

"I don't regret anything," Olivia said. She shook her head and brushed the back of her hand over his cheek. "I was scared, I was unsure, I still am, but I do not regret anything. I did this for you, baby, and because I love you. Whether or not I did it because I was ready shouldn't matter."

Elliot dropped his forehead to hers. "I asked you, I asked if you were sure, if you were ready, you said yes."

"I wanted to make you as happy as you made me," Olivia whispered. "I wanted to give you back everything you've given me. Is that so wrong?" she asked, nuzzling his nose. "You never said no to me, you gave me everything I have ever wanted, and I love you enough to do the same for you."

Elliot cupped her face and kissed her. "Tell me you want to be here, you want to be wife, and you want these babies, Liv," he said, his voice carrying with it a begging quality. "Tell me you don't feel like you had to this, and you want this life, because if you don't…"

"I wouldn't still be here if I didn't," Olivia said, assuring him. "I love you, and I want you, and our family. These were feelings I had a long time ago," she told him. And, half-serious-half-joking, she added, "Besides, it's too late now."

Elliot chuckled and kissed her. "Thank the Lord for that," he said, kissing her again. Then he turned and shook his head. "How come trouble seems to follow you wherever you go?" he asked, glaring at Alex. "Usually, you bring it into my life," he snapped.

"Because," Alex said with a sigh, "I don't know when to keep my big mouth shut." She drummed her fingers along the arm of the couch and said, "I'm here to apologize. To really apologize, and tell you that I'm not gonna try anything, I'm not gonna try to come between you two anymore. It's pretty damn obvious that it won't work."

"You didn't plan that, did you?" Elliot asked, tilting his head. "That whole speech, you didn't come in here planning to cause a fight between me and Liv, did you?"

Alex looked horrified at the suggestion. "No, Stabler!" she said, offended. "I'm really here to apologize. I was just going to tell her, before you interrupted me, that marrying you and starting a family was the best decision she could have possibly made. No one loves her the way you do, and will take care of her the way you do, and no two people in the world deserve to be happy more than the both of you." She smiled at her former friends and said, "And you're going to make gorgeous children, who will be loved and spoiled beyond belief."

Elliot laughed and dropped his head to Olivia's again. "Yea, we are," he said.

Olivia kissed him, and then turned to Alex. "Thanks for coming here, Alex," she said. She held up the letter and said, "And thanks for this."

"Uh, what is that?" Elliot asked, scared. He knew what it was.

"A letter," Olivia said, continuing to unfold it. "Alex found it in her locker, but it's from you to me, and she thought…"

Elliot cut her off. "I know what she thought," he said. "Liv, baby, you don't have to read that. I wrote it a long time ago, and nothing in it is gonna make sense to you now, so just…"

Olivia gasped, finally unfurling the letter. She read the first three lines and the tears she thought had dried began to fall. "I wouldn't have…El, if you would have given this to me…" she muttered. She read further, reading of Elliot's habit of walking and driving passed her house every night to make sure she was home safely, how he would situate a telescope in his room by his window so he could get a clear view of her, and how if she didn't answer the letter he would know she didn't feel the same way, and he'd take Kathy Malone to the Sophomore dance. "I never got this," she said, sniffling. "You would have known."

"I know you didn't get it," Elliot admitted. "I lost my nerve, Liv. I put it in someone else's locker because I got scared. I didn't know it was Cabot's," he scoffed. "I thought whoever found it would read it, realize it wasn't for them, and throw it away. Like a normal person," he said, glaring at Alex.

"Three years," Olivia said, shaking her head. "We wasted three years," she repeated.

Elliot nodded. "Honey," he said, taking the letter out of her hand, "We have a lifetime to make up for it." He kissed her and ran a hand over her belly.

Alex, seeing that she was no longer needed, or noticed, smiled at the sight before her and walked toward the door, letting herself out.

She didn't know it was the last time, in a long time, she would see either of them. Something was coming. Something that would tear the group apart, and put them back together with a few pieces missing.

**A/N: NEXT CHAPTER IS A TIME JUMP: FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS Review here, or on Twitter: TMG212**


	49. Chapter 49

**A/N: A time jump, with a summary of events that we might have missed.**

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and characters belong to Dick Wolf. TStabler© borrows them and makes them do crazy things once in a while.**

**June 11th, 2003**

No one knew what happened to Alex when she left the base residence that day; all that was known was she wasn't seen in the city, at Saint Mary's, or at her house after that. Her parents tried everything, talked to everyone, even contacted police. She didn't turn up, but as Olivia so eloquently put it in their fifth week of searching for her, "You can't find someone who doesn't want to be found."

Casey and Fin broke up a week before Casey's graduation, and they were now living on separate coasts. Casey had opted to go to UCLA, living with an aunt as she studied political science and Pre-Law. She took the break-up hard, swearing off men for life, but of course Olivia got a phone call from her on her first night in California and all she did was ramble about the hot new guy in her Cultural Anthropology class. Now, finishing her second year, she made plans to come back to New York for the summer. She'd be staying with Olivia and Elliot, it had been decided, and she was in for the surprise of a lifetime.

Fin and Melinda were well into their second year of "being together" though neither one was willing to label it. Ken was a rambunctious three year old, bouncy and talking up a storm, though he was looked at as sort of a bad omen in their lives. Little Ken looked nothing like Fin, and Melinda had started to grow more nervous and agitated with every passing day. Something wasn't right. Fin had plans to find out what it was, with the help of his best friend, Elliot.

Olivia's pregnancy had gone smoothly, and Elliot was supportive and loving throughout her remaining four months. She cried for weeks on end, though, when the Marines shipped him off to some foreign country, again, after they said he wouldn't. She was nearly a month overdue, panicking, sleepless, wondering if he would ever come home. She blamed Joe Stabler, and was getting into a screaming match with him over it. She had just kicked him out of her house, as he was trying to tell her something important, when her water broke. They rushed her to the hospital, but she refused to do anything until Elliot came home. Nicole, Elliot's sister, told her Elliot was on a plane back, and it was okay to push, but Olivia didn't believe her and punched her in the face.

Time was running out and she had no choice but to start to deliver her children. She cried, hot, aggravated, pained tears, but just as she was about to push, Elliot had run into the delivery room to hold her hand, just as he promised her he would.

After seeing the bright, blue eyes of his twins, Elliot decided to talk to his commanding officers. He was honorably discharged from the Marines in September of Two-Thousand-and-One, and he moved his family off of the base and into a real house in Queens. With the help of his mother and sisters, and some compromising with his wife, Elliot worked out a schedule that would allow he and Olivia to go to class, together, and not have to worry about who was taking care of the children when they could not.

A task, it seemed, that was not so easy once those were out of diapers, and running away from their mother.

"Richard Elliot Stabler!" Olivia yelled from the bathroom, watching a naked toddler into the living room, "Get back here!"

"I got him, Liv," Elliot yelled, heading the boy off at the couch. He lifted his son into his arms and blew a raspberry on his stomach. "You are a wild one, Dickie," he said, carrying the boy back into the bathroom.

Olivia laughed as she looked up at her husband.

"What?" Elliot asked, laying the boy back into the tub. He sat on the edge.

"You look like a wet poodle," Olivia said, turning her attention to the second child, rinsing her daughter's hair.

Elliot raised an eyebrow. "You're bathing the tame one," he said. "Tomorrow night, I'll give Lizzie her bath, and you can deal with Mister Splash-and-Flash over here." He shook his head and got Olivia wet with the driplets flying off of him.

Olivia chuckled and squealed, "Hey!" as she shielded herself from the water.

"Really?" Elliot asked, his eyes widening. "That bothered you? How about this?" he asked menacingly, as his hand dipped into the bathtub.

"Don't," Olivia warned, backing up into the corner of the bathtub.

Elliot chuckled. "You wanna be a cop, baby, you're gonna have to learn that the corner is not the best place to go if you're trying to get away from a bad guy," he said, bringing his arms up and soaking his wife with a huge wave of water.

Dickie and Lizzie, the two year old twins, giggled and splashed.

"They thought it was funny," Elliot shrugged innocently as he looked into the angry face of his wife.

Olivia, great annoyance in her eyes, loomed forward.

"Okay," Elliot said, backing up. "That's the 'Bad-Ass Benson' face, you're scaring me."

Olivia smirked, then pounced, sending her and Elliot hurling into the tub with their children. Her lips landed on his and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as he deepened the kiss.

"Nothing like family bath time," Elliot chuckled against her lips.

Olivia laughed and shook off the water as she turned to her giggling kids. "Well, Mommy and Daddy bath time might come in a close second," she mumbled, raising an eyebrow at Elliot.

Elliot quickly pulled himself out of the tub and looked at his twins. He clapped his hands together and grinned as he asked, "Okay, who's ready for bed?"

* * *

"Excuse me?" Casey called, getting out of her car. "Uh, I need to get to Glenn Oaks. How do I do that?"

A young man, very handsome, turned around and said, "Oh, uh, you need to turn around. You're in Manhattan. Glenn Oaks is in Queens, so you need to get to the…ya know, uh, I'm heading out that way. You can follow me." He screwed the gas cap back onto his car and closed the flap, then looked at her. "I swear, I'm not gonna kidnap you or anything."

"I'm a law student," Casey said, folding her arms. "I know how to tell when someone's being sincere. Thanks," she said.

"Law?" the man asked. "I'm in a law program, too. What school?" he asked, heading around to the driver's side of his car.

Casey, heading back to her own car, said, "UCLA, and you?"

"NYU," the guy replied. "Hey, since I'm going slightly out of my way to drive you into Glenn Oaks, I should probably get your name."

Casey smirked. This guy had no game at all, but he was trying, and he was cute. "Casey," she said.

"Nice to meet you Casey," the man said with a grin and a nod. He opened his car door and smiled broadly as he said, "I'm Trevor."

* * *

Fin, sitting across from Melinda, poked absently at his chicken, not eating it. He couldn't bring himself to look up as he said, "You know I love you, and I love that kid, but I need you to be honest with me."

"About what?" Melinda asked, tilting her head, forking a piece of broccoli into her mouth.

"Is he mine?" Fin asked, finally meeting her eyes.

Melinda paled. "Of course he is," she said. "Who else would…I wasn't with anyone else, Fin. There's no way he isn't yours. Maybe he just has more of my features and more of your personality. He's only three," she argued with a shrug.

Fin ran a hand down his face. "I'm not gonna be mad, I'm not gonna leave you, and I'm not gonna love him any less, but I need to know."

Melinda dropped her fork and looked at him, as if her heart had snapped in two. "I just told you…"

"I want a paternity test," Fin interrupted.

"You don't trust me," Melinda said, her heart racing.

Fin shook his head. "It ain't that, baby," he said, leaning closer. He took her hand and said, "Think about it. Is there any way…any way at all…that he ain't mine?"

Melinda choked back a sob and squeezed his hand as she slowly nodded.

* * *

"I'm sorry," an aging man in a suit said, looking into the distraught faces of the Cabots. "Your daughter's case…it isn't high on our list anymore. She was a minor when she disappeared, making it our case, but she's nineteen now. We kicked it up to Missing Persons, so there's nothing more…"

"We don't want you to help us find her," Mister Cabot said, handing over a printed e-mail. "We wanted to tell you…we know where she is now."

The man looked down, read, and then looked back up. "Who is Chester Lake?" he asked.

"A friend," Misses Cabot said, stopping a sniffle. "He was in town visiting, and he must have taken her with him when he left. She…she hadn't been happy for a while, but I guess she's doing okay."

"Legal Studies at USC," the man said, handing back the email. "More than okay," he said with a shrug. "Well, I'm happy to hear that things have worked out, and she's getting back in contact with you. I will alert the unit that this case is officially closed."

Mister Cabot held out his arm, and as he shook the man's hand, he said, "Thank you for everything, Captain Cragen."

The man nodded and smiled as the Cabot's left, then he turned to look at the man to his left. "Christ, John," he said. "People in this city think they're all so important."

John nodded. "Oh, hey, uh, someone at the desk asked me to give this to you. I don't know how, but I think I know her."

Cragen turned to him. "How would you know her?" he asked.

"When I was out in Utah waiting for my transfer to Baltimore," John said, "They were in a cabin, someone broke in, I took their statements. It was…she was a nice girl. Looked happy with the kid she was with. Why is she so important?"

Cragen shook his head. "The last time I saw her she was hanging over the edge of a mountain," he said. "When I got this promotion, I just…I remembered a promise I made to them, that's all. To them, and to his father. I always keep my promises, John."

"I know you do, Don," John said. "Hey, ya know, if ever get sick of the salty sea air and running around after killers, maybe I'll some hang out with you here."

Cragen raised an eyebrow. "If I ever have to put up with your crazy theories for more than a weekend, I think I'll shoot myself."

John furrowed his brow. "Some brother-in-law you are," he said.

"Ex," Cragen said. "You're here to get divorced, then your scrawny ass is back in Baltimore."

John sighed. "Yeah," he said, "I know."

* * *

"Oh, my God," Olivia panted, falling onto her pillow.

Elliot nodded, trying to catch her breath. "Pretty much," he said. "Who says having kids kills your sex life?" he asked between harsh breaths.

Olivia chuckled. "Not everyone is like us, El," she said, turning onto her side. "Some people change when they get married, let it fizzle, lose the spark."

"Never gonna happen," Elliot said, crashing his lips into hers again.

Olivia wrapped her arms around him as he moved on top of her, pushing into her again. "God, damn, El," she seethed in a mix of pain and extreme pleasure.

Elliot stared moving and said, "Never gonna stop loving you the way I do right now." He kissed her and moved deep and slow. "The way I always have," he said against her lips.

Olivia wrapped her legs around him, meeting his thrusts, kissing him hard as her nails raked down his back, and just as she was about to lose control, there was a tiny knock on the door.

"Fuck," Elliot hissed, unwilling to stop.

Olivia cried out his name and gripped him tightly. "Stop, baby," she said, moaning.

Elliot shook his head. "No," he said, ignoring the knocking, which was getting louder.

Olivia cried out again, feeling Elliot quicken his pace and move harder, trying to speed things up for the both of them. "Oh, God, Elliot," Olivia said, digging her nails into his shoulder with one hand while the other twisted the sheets.

"Not finished," Elliot said, listening as the doorbell rang at the same time the knocking gre even louder. He was working even harder now, thrusting hard, hitting into her all the way, each time, and he finally felt her clamp around him. He smirked and let out a small, grunting laugh as he dropped his head to catch her scream.

Olivia let a harsh cry loose into his mouth, holding onto him for dear life as he shot hotly into her.

Elliot kissed her slowly as they both calmed down, relaxing into each other and the kiss. "Remember," he whispered.

Olivia nodded. "Nothing comes before us and the kids," she said, parroting back his "Golden Rule" of their life.

"Exactly," Elliot panted, kissing her again. He pulled out of her, taking some sort of perverted pride in the look on her face as he did so, and smirked at her. "Come on," he said, wrapping his robe around himself, "Apparently, we have company."

"You want me to move?" Olivia asked, breathless.

Elliot chuckled, then scooped her into his arms and grabbed her robe off of the door hook. He kissed her sweetly as he carried her into the living room, and he dropped her to her feet. He pecked her on the lips again as he watched her wrap herself in her robe, then he padded to the door.

"The last time you opened the door in your robe, it was your father," Olivia said, laughing as she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him.

Elliot chuckled and kissed her forehead. "I doubt it's that asshole this time. He knows better than to come anywhere near us," he said. He opened the door, and Elliot and Olivia's eyes widened.

They were expecting Casey, but the man on the stoop, crying, was clearly not her.

"Brian," Elliot said, stepping aside, "What happened?"

**A/N: What happened to Brian? Did something happen to Kathy or their kids? What will happen when Casey shows up with Trevor? Is Fin Ken's father? And when Alex comes back, all hell breaks loose! Review here, or on Twitter: TMG212**


	50. Chapter 50

**A/N: What happened to Brian? Did something happen to Kathy or their kids? What will happen when Casey shows up with Trevor? Is Fin Ken's father? And when Alex comes back, all hell breaks loose!**

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and related characters belong to Dick Wolf. Story, dialogue, narrative and plot belong to TStabler©**

Brian walked into the house, pushing passed them. He wiped his eyes and gasped as he turned to his left. "They got so big," he whispered, staring into the smallest bedroom at the sleeping twins.

"Yeah," Elliot said, smiling. "You, uh, missed their birthday this year," he said as his arms wrapped around his wife.

Brian nodded, turning back toward them. "I know," he sighed. "Kathy, she, uh, she really couldn't handle me being their Godfather. She thought, for sure, it meant I was sleeping with Olivia, and to convince her I wasn't…"

"You had to disappear," Olivia whispered.

Brian nodded again. "Guess I was trying too hard to convince her…I mean, you both know that I…and I would never make a move, I swear," he babbled.

"Just tell us what happened," Elliot interrupted, holding onto Olivia tighter.

Brian took a breath and said, "I got home from class early, I wanted to surprise her. I walked into the bedroom and she…she was in bed…with Joey."

Elliot's brow furrowed and he heard Olivia gasp softly. He gripped her tighter. "My brother?" he asked.

Brian nodded. "She was…God, she saw me! She knew I was there, she knew I watching them, and it just…it egged her on! Like it made her even…"

"Okay," Olivia said, holding up a hand. "We get it," she said with a shudder.

Brian chuckled at her. "For someone with a sex life like you've got, you're a prude, Benson."

Olivia scoffed. "Stabler. And how the hell do you anything about my sex…"

"Guys talk," Brian interrupted, raising an eyebrow at her. "I'm intrigued by this thing you apparently do with your tongue."

Olivia elbowed Elliot in the ribs and said, "Jerk."

"Hey," Elliot grunted with a breathy chuckle, "Forgive me, baby. I like to brag, and I like everyone at the gym to know that my wife is better than theirs. They're all fuckin' jealous, and I like it that way." He kissed her on the top of the head and said, "They don't know the real intimate details. I keep important things private."

"He really made you cum seven times in one night?" Brian asked, folding his arms.

Olivia turned and looked at Elliot. "That's not an intimate detail?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm proud of that," Elliot said with a smirk. "You gotta let me brag about that," he said with a chuckle as he kissed her.

Olivia rolled her eyes and sunk into his embrace. "Asshole," she mumbled, embarrassed.

Elliot laughed and kissed her forehead, then looked back up at Brian. "Look, man, I really don't know what's wrong with Joey. He's been a real dick for the past couple of years. He gave Dickie a bottle of Jack Daniels for his birthday. Told him he'd need it. He's got a stick up his ass, he doesn't care who he hurts. I'm surprised at Kathy, though. I thought you were good."

Brian shook his head. "I don't blame Joey," he said. "I don't even blame Kathy, really." He ran a hand down his face and sighed, for what seemed like the fiftieth time. "Do you have that Jack, Elliot?" he asked.

Elliot nodded. "We could all use a drink. I'll be right back," he said. He kissed Olivia and padded out to the kitchen.

Olivia looked up at Brian and tried to smile at him. "I really am sorry, Bri," she said. "Is there anything we can do for you?"

"Can I stay here for a while?" Brian asked, though it killed him to need her help.

Olivia took a breath and nodded. With Casey in the house, too, things were going to get very interesting, very quickly.

* * *

"Who?" Fin asked, having lost his appetite. He cleared the table and did the dishes, and he helped Melinda put the toddler to sleep, but he couldn't stop thinking about it.

"You don't know him," Melinda said, shaking her head.

Fin folded his arms. "It ain't Elliot or some shit, is it?"

"Are you crazy?" Melinda scoffed. "Wild horses couldn't drag him away from Olivia. You really think he'd go for me? Hurt her?"

Fin pressed his lips together. "Who else were you with, Mel?" he asked, looking up. "Oh, oh, wait, you're not seriously telling me that you and…"

"It only happened once," Melinda defended. "That's why I thought that…it had to be you."

"Only one way to find out," Fin said with a shrug. "I'll call Elliot in the morning. See if he can give me a number."

Melinda nodded. "Fin…if he isn't…"

"I already told you, baby," Fin interrupted. "I ain't goin' anywhere," he said. "You and that boy, you're my life. Blood don't change heart."

Melinda kissed him, hoping he would feel the same way after the test.

* * *

Alex had a cigarette hanging out of her mouth as she tossed her suitcase onto her bed. "Three days," she said. "That's it. You do what you gotta do, and then I wanna get outta here."

"Look," Chester said, unzipping his own luggage, "I am here to spend some time with my parents. You can stay away from yours, they don't even have to know you're here, but I'm not popping in and out of my folks' lives at your demand 'cause you're scared."

"I am not afraid of my parents," Alex scoffed, blowing a smoke ring.

Chester laughed. "I know," he said. "You're afraid of running into Olivia. Or Elliot. Or their kids, who are, what, two now?"

Alex sighed. "I thought leaving with you would make it easier on everyone," she said. "I just feel worse. Like I abandoned everyone."

"You did," Chester said, changing. "You missed the birth of the twins, you missed their second anniversary party, you missed Nicole's wedding, I came back for all of that and they kept asking if I knew where you were and I had to say no. Then you send that e-mail, God, you know what it was like, explaining to your mother that I lied to her for two years?"

Alex smirked at him and exhaled her smoke. "You love me," she said, "You'd do anything for me," she told him with a smile.

Chester ripped the cigarette out of her hand. "No smoking in the room, Alex," he said, tossing the butt out of the window. "And I have my limits. I'm not telling you where they live, you can forget that."

"Fine," Alex said, watching Chester crawl beneath the sheets. She flipped open her phone and scrolled through her text messages, finding the one from Joey. She smirked. Chester didn't need to tell her anything. She snapped her phone shut, took off her jeans, and slid into bed beside Chester.

"Brush your teeth," Chester hissed at her, turning away from her.

Alex laughed and shook her head. "Yes sir," she joked, getting up. She knew her smoking bothered him, but, as she knew too well, old habits died hard, or they didn't die at all. In the morning, she'd try one last time to make or break her oldest and greatest habit. Elliot.

* * *

Elliot and Olivia, still in their robes, cuddled on the couch, were watching Brian nursing his wounds in his fourth glass of whiskey when their doorbell rang. "It's Casey," Olivia said, moving to get it.

Elliot kissed her as she got off the couch and he tried to slide the bottle away from Brain. Brian grabbed it. "Not done," he mumbled, pouring another drink. "You want?" he asked, smirking at Elliot.

"No," Elliot said, shaking his head. "I, uh, I'm not a nice drunk."

"Who the hell is a nice drunk?" Brian scoffed, slamming back the drink. He poured again.

"Liv," Elliot said, grinning. "She gets…very nice when she's drunk."

Brian turned his head. "Hey! Benson! Have another drink!" he yelled.

"Um, I'll pass," Olivia said, confused as she opened the door. "Honey, you should, uh, come see who's here with Casey."

Elliot, keeping one eye on Brian, walked over to the door. "Hey, Novak," he said. "Who's that guy getting your…oh, shit," he hissed.

"Yeah," Olivia said, folding her arms.

Casey, not getting they were upset, grinned. "I know, isn't he cute?" she asked. "I met him at a gas station, he got me here, then insisted he carry my bags in."

Olivia shook her head. "Casey, he's…"

"He's a law student!" Casey said, interrupting her. "So cute, tall, and Olivia, he's really charming."

Trevor walked up to the door, carrying Casey's bags. He heard Casey give a hasty introduction and he dropped the bags inside the door. He held out a hand, and then realized. "Olivia," he gasped, his eyes widening as his hand dropped.

Casey's face fell, too. "You two know each other?" she asked.

Olivia nodded. "Trevor and I used to go to school together. His father is the reason Elliot made it home for Christmas.

Casey smiled brightly. "Oh, so then you guys are already fri…"

"And he's the reason I was sent overseas a month before the kids were born," Elliot snapped. "If Dean and his father didn't find me and pull me out of there, I would have missed…"

Casey cut him off. "What?" she asked.

Olivia sighed. "Casey, Trevor used to have a crush on me. He used his father's pull with the government to play tug-of-war with Elliot's active duty schedule, figuring Elliot would miss the birth and he could step in and play Daddy."

Trevor sighed. "I already apologized for that," he said.

"Sorry doesn't cut it," Elliot said. "You almost made me miss the most important moment of our lives," he yelled.

"Hey!" Brian said, holding up a glass. "Whatever you guys are yelling about, you can solve it with a drink. My buddy Jack here…he's a really good problem solver!" He patted the bottle and laughed.

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "We should stop him," she said.

"I tried," Elliot said. "He growled at me, baby," he told her, raising both eyebrows.

"Benson," Brian called, "How many drinks is it gonna take for you to do that thing with your tongue?" he asked with a hiccup.

Olivia slapped a hand to her forehead and turned into Elliot, burying her head in his chest. "Hate you," she mumbled.

"What's his problem?" Trevor asked, scoffing at Brian.

Elliot grumbled, but answered him. "He found his wife in bed with my brother," he said.

Casey gasped. "Kathy and Joey?" she yelped. "Again?"

Olivia nodded, then grabbed a couple of Casey's bags, bringing them toward the guest room. "Do you know what's going on with him?" Olivia asked, dropping the baggage onto the floor.

"Joey?" Casey asked. She shrugged. "He hasn't really been the same since he found out Joe isn't his or Elliot's father."

"What?" Elliot asked, standing behind them.

Casey turned, suddenly white. "Nicole told me you knew," she said. "At the wedding, she said that you…that that's why you weren't talking to…she said you knew!"

"We stopped talking to him because he was an asshole," Elliot said softly, finding it hard to breathe. "I gotta…I gotta go…now," he panted.

"Elliot!" Olivia yelled.

Elliot turned around and looked at her.

"Baby," she said, "It's two in the morning, we have sleeping two-year-old twins that I can't control by myself, Brian's drunk, Trevor's here, and I'm two seconds away from punching Casey. Not to mention, you're not leaving this house in your robe."

Elliot took a deep breath, then walked over to her. "Tomorrow morning," he said, kissing her forehead. "I need answers," he said to her. He pulled her into his arms and did something he hadn't done since the plane ride on the night his kids were born. He prayed for the ability to control his temper.

**A/N: What happens in the morning? What does he say to Joe? Does Alex find them? Is Fin Ken's daddy? Who else did Melinda sleep with? Review here, or on Twitter: TMG212**


	51. Chapter 51

**A/N: What happens in the morning? What does he say to Joe? Does Alex find them? Is Fin Ken's daddy? Who else did Melinda sleep with?**

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and related characters belong to Dick Wolf. Story, dialogue, narrative and plot belong to TStabler©**

"Are you sure you wanna do this?" Olivia asked, her son sleeping over her shoulder and her hand gripping her daughter's small arm tightly.

"I need answers," Elliot snapped, nodding once. He looked at her surprised expression and sighed. "I'm sorry, I…I shouldn't have barked at you, it's not you I'm mad at."

Olivia shrugged. "I'm used to it," she said.

"Yeah, that's why I'm sorry," Elliot said softly, wrapping an arm around her. "You will never, ever, be the reason I'm angry, and I will never take it out on you. Or the kids. I swear."

"I know," Olivia said, kissing his lips gently. "Take him," she said, leaning over so Elliot could catch his son.

Elliot rested the sleeping boy in the stroller, then lifted his daughter into his arms. "Pumpkin," he said, "You be quiet while your brother's sleeping, okay?"

Little Lizzie blinked and yawned as her father clipped her into the seat behind her brother.

Olivia chuckled. "I don't think that's gonna be a problem," she said, watching as her daughter's eyes slid closed and her head lolled to the side.

"They lead such rough lives," Elliot said with a laugh. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah, I think we have everything," Olivia said as she nodded and draped two diaper bags over her shoulders.

Elliot rolled his eyes and took one, then said, "You think it's okay leaving them here, right?"

Olivia turned, looking at Brian, passed out on the couch, then to the guest room, where Casey had shut herself up after finding out the man she had just fallen for was, of course, crushing on Olivia. "We don't have a choice," she said.

Elliot kissed her cheek, then opened the front door to lead his family out, hoping they'd be back before anyone woke up.

* * *

"You sure you wanna do this?" Melinda asked, holding Fin's hand as they sat in the waiting room.

Fin nodded. "I have to know," he said. "Elliot called these people, got us in here, they can take care of this now, fast. I just…I have to know, Mel."

Melinda nodded as she bounced Ken on her knee. "I don't think he's Chester's," she said, shaking his head. "I swear he has your eyes, Fin," she told him with a crack in her voice, trying to get Fin to change his mind.

The boy looked at Fin and held out his arms. "Daddy," he said, trying to get to him.

Fin's heart broke. "Yeah, bud," he said, reaching for the child. "No matter what, I'm your daddy."

"Mister Tutuola?" the receptionist called. "Doctor Roberts can see you now," she said, pointing to the door.

Fin carried Ken through the wooden door, still holding onto Melinda's hand. He had said that this wouldn't change anything, but he knew that if the tests showed Ken wasn't his, he might walk away. He didn't trust himself anymore than he trusted her.

* * *

"You sure you wanna do this?" Joey asked Kathy, packing her things up and putting them in suitcases.

Kathy nodded. "I haven't been happy with him…something just always felt wrong."

Joey shook his head. "I'm not the answer to your problems," he said. "I'm not even sure how to solve my own. He's good for you, he's taking care of you and Maureen and Kathleen…"

"Neither one of the girls are his," Kathy interrupted. "They're both yours, Joey. I should be with the father of my children. Especially since every time something goes wrong in my life I find my way to him anyway!"

Joey chuckled. "I'm good in bed," he said. "Sex is an escape for you. It always has been."

"Has it ever occurred to you that I might actually love you, Joe Stabler?" Kathy asked, folding her arms.

Joey shook his head. "You can't love me," he told her. "You don't even know who I am anymore. I came here, drunk off my ass last night, and you just…"

"I gave you what you needed," Kathy said, cutting him off. "I knew what it could cost me, and I gave in, because you needed me to, Joey. Doesn't that say something to you?"

Joey bit his lip and looked away, seeing his two daughters playing through the doorway to the living room. "It says you're just as fucked up as I am."

"Maybe I slept with you the first time…trying to trap Elliot," Kathy admitted, "But after that…every time after that, I was with you. I wanted to be with you."

Joey turned his head and raised an eyebrow at her. He heard an honesty in her voice that he'd never heard from anyone, that Alex's expertly told lies didn't even come close to, and he said, "You mean that."

"Those girls in there," Kathy said quietly, pointing, "Are proof. I wouldn't have had them…I wouldn't have told Brian Katie wasn't his…if I didn't know that somehow I would end up with you."

Joey pulled her into his arms and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. For the first time in long time, he felt wanted, he felt loved, and he didn't want to let that feeling go.

* * *

"Are you sure you wanna do this?" Chester said, shaking his head as he stood on the steps of the hotel with Alex.

Alex nodded. "I need to see them. I'm not going to try anything, you have my word, I just…I wanna see the kids, and…"

"You are really gonna do it, aren't you?" Chester asked, folding his arms. "She's gonna punch you in the face, Alex! He's gonna kill you!"

Alex sighed. "I know," she said. "I'm expecting it. I just…I need to know what it's like, and I know how to do it so that he will actually kiss me back for a moment before he realizes…"

"Just go. You know I'm only letting you do this once, so just go," Chester said. "I have to meet my parents. And I want you back here at six, we're having dinner with them at eight."

Alex nodded, kissed his lips, and walked down the street, keeping her eyes on the many cabs whizzing passed her. Finally, she saw an empty one, hailed it, and got in.

"Where to, ma'am?" the cabbie asked.

Alex smirked as she flipped open her cell phone. "Seventy-Two-Twelve, Castleside Street, Glen Oaks, Queens."

"You got it," the driver said, pulling away from the curb.

Alex toyed with the tools in her pocket and she grinned. If she could pull this off, she would not only live out a fantasy, but she'd get an 'A' in her Criminalistics class for sure.

* * *

"Who the hell is that?" Elliot yelled at his father, staring him down in the middle of the squad room.

Joe Stabler put both of his hands up. "Calm down, Elliot! Please," the man said, looking around at the watching eyes of his colleagues. "He stayed with your sisters and your mother when I was in the Army. He was just supposed to take care of them for me," he said.

Elliot's eyes widened and he thought briefly about Brian, and what had almost happened while he was gone.

"I came home, and she told me everything," Joe said. "I couldn't be mad at her. I was gone for an awfully long time, and..."

"Did you know him?" Elliot asked, interrupting, furrowing his brow.

Joe sighed. "I did, yeah. I still do. He's a good friend."

Elliot shook his head, confused. "Friends don't do that. They…control themselves. Or at least, they try to!"

"Elliot, he was keeping her safe, and happy, and he ahd feelings for her, but he was never going to take her away from me for good. When I came home, he left," Joe explained. "He even told Bernie to give you and Joey my last name."

Elliot scoffed. "So he knows about me and Joey, he walked away, why?"

"He didn't…look, your mom and I were happy, Elliot. This wasn't an affair, she was miserable and lonely without me, and he…filled a need. With me gone for as long as I was, she needed someone, Elliot. He was there."

Elliot ran a hand through his hair. "I don't care," he said. "This is fucked up. You raised two children, knowing that they weren't yours, knowing that they were the product of some fucked up favor from a friend…is that why you hated me? Is that why you made my life fucking miserable?"

"Could we try to keep the language PG, please?" Olivia asked, nodding toward the twins, who were oblivious to everything going on around them.

Joe nodded an apology and said, "Bernie and I did the best we could with you and your brother and sisters, Elliot. With you all running around…we didn't have a lot of money, and I had to see him every day when I looked at you…I started drinking and I took it out on you because I thought you could handle it."

"Jesus Christ," Elliot shouted, leaning back in his chair.

Joe's finger raised and shot out toward Elliot as he scolded, "Don't you dare take the Lord's…"

"Oh, don't you give me any of that Holier-than-thou-Catholic crap!" Elliot said. "You have no right to tell me, ever, that I owe you anything, ever again. I'm done. I'm done with you, and I'm done with whatever deals we made. I'll get into the academy myself, we both will. Liv and I will be just fine." He got out of his seat and said, "Take a good look at Lizzie and Dickie, it's the last time you're ever gonna see them."

Joe's eyes widened. "Elliot, please, don't punish your mother for…"

"Oh, I'm not," Elliot said. "You are. You can have the honor of telling her everything. Kiss her goodbye for me." He looked at Olivia and said, "Baby, let's go. I wanna go home, take a nap, and we have to find this Cragen guy."

Olivia pushed the dual-stroller out after Elliot, trying to think. "That name sounds familiar," she mumbled.

They walked out of the room filled with cops, neither one turning back, neither one seeing the mighty Joe Stabler cry.

* * *

Brian fluttered his eyes open, but still couldn't see anything. He was thankful, his head hurt so much. "God damn," he whispered. "How much did I have to drink?" he asked himself. He rose off of the couch, taking a few steps before running into someone. "Sorry," he grumbled.

"Quite all right," a soft, girlish voice said, grabbing him.

This myseterious someone ran their feminine, soft, hands up Brian's arms and down his chest. He thought it was Olivia. "Oh, God," he whispered, feeling those hands move lower, cupping him through his sweatpants.

"I've been waiting for this," the low, sexy, female voice said, "For so long."

Brian's eyes went wide, but he couldn't see a damn thing. "What?" he whispered, shocked.

"No more talking," the woman said, as she grabbed him and found his lips with hers, kissing him madly.

He moaned into her mouth, ran his hands through her hair, and that's when he noticed the hair was too long, too thin. She was shorter than Olivia. He was about to push her away when he heard the key in the lock. The door opened, letting light in, brightening the face of the woman he'd been kissing.

Olivia, holding the handle of the stroller, and Elliot, shocked, stood in their doorway, baffled. "What the hell did we just walk in on?" Olivia asked, not blinking.

Elliot mumbled something then asked, louder, "Why the hell are all the lights off?"

Alex blushed as she stared at the shirtless man in front of her. "Um, hi," she said, holding her hand out to Brian. "I'm Alex."

Brian just nodded quickly and said, "We have met before, Cabot."

"Cassidy?" Alex gasped. "Oh, my God! I thought…I thought you were Elliot!"

Brian shrugged and said, "Well, I thought you were Olivia so, I guess…"

"Excuse me?" Elliot and Olivia said together, cutting them off, still on their doorstep.

Alex and Brian turned to them and met their confused and angry eyes. They had a lot of explaining to do.

**A/N: What happens when Alex explains? Ken's father is finally revealed, and Olivia and Elliot pay a visit to Captain Donald Cragen. If you want more, that is. Review here, or on Twitter: TMG212**


	52. Chapter 52

**A/N: Another day in the lives of the young and beautiful.**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns the characters and settings of SVU. TStabler (c) owns this saga. **

"You've got to be kidding," Olivia said, walking back out of the small bedroom. She had just put Lizzie down in her "big girl bed."

Brian shook his head. "I have the world's worst hangover," he said with a shrug. "Who else was I supposed to think it was?"

Elliot, keeping one eye on his son, coloring at the coffee table, pulled Olivia into his arms. "What's your excuse?" he asked, jutting his chin toward Alex. "You break in, kill the lights, just to…what...kiss me?"

Alex paled slightly. "Well, see, I was hoping that you would…I mean, in the dark, I…"

"Oh, my God," Olivia said, rolling her eyes. "I think he could tell us apart, even in the dark."

Elliot hummed and held her tighter. "Ya got that right," he mumbled as his lips pressed into the back of her neck.

"Look," Alex said, "Don't blame Brian. He…"

"I don't," Elliot said. "We've had a pretty shitty morning, I am completely exhausted. Brian, get a cup of coffee. Alex, you should go. Before I wake up enough to realize how pissed off I am."

Brian ran a hand down his face, then padded into the kitchen to make coffee.

"What the hell is going on out…Alex?" Casey has finally come out of her bedroom, and was shocked to see the blonde in the middle of the living room.

"Hey, Novak," Alex said, folding her arms. "Sorry I couldn't tell you…"

Casey cut her off again. "I know why you're here," she said, "And it's really pathetic. Stop trying. He's married, with kids, they're happy, can't you just…"

"I'm done," Alex said, holding up a hand. "This was humiliating, and I kissed…Brian."

Casey's eyes widened. "How the hell did that happen?" she asked, folding her arms.

"Long story," Alex said, then she grabbed her bag. "Olivia and Elliot will tell you all about it, I'm sure."

Olivia, chuckling at her son playing the drums with his crayons, walked over and lifted him into her arms. "Nap time," she said. As an answer, Dickie rested his head on her shoulder. She walked with the sleepy boy back over to Elliot, who placed a soft kiss to both of their foreheads.

"They really are beautiful kids," Alex said, giving them a small smile. "They're so…big…and you guys look really happy."

"We are really happy," Elliot said, assuring her. He kissed Olivia's lips, then watched as she turned into the kids' room and put Dickie into his bed. "I really wish people would stop trying to convince us we're not," he mumbled.

Alex looked at him, feeling guilty. "I'll just…I'm gonna go."

Elliot turned and nodded at her, saying, "Good idea." He ran a hand down his face and looked longingly at Olivia. "Stay away, Alex. I mean it. If you can't just be her friend, then you can't be around. At all."

Casey tilted her head and said, "She can't help how she feels, Elliot."

"Neither can Trevor," Olivia said pointedly, walking back into Elliot's waiting arms.

Casey sighed and closed her eyes. "I'll go call him," she whined, slumping over and padding back into the guest room.

"I didn't mean…" Olivia began to call after her. She sighed and fell back into Elliot. "Whatever, she mumbled.

Brian walked over then, carrying three mugs very carefully, and handed one to Olivia, one to Elliot, then sipped from one himself. "I think my head's clearing up," he said, swallowing the hot coffee.

"Good," Elliot said, "Once I'm sure you can feel it, I'm kicking your ass. How the hell could you think that Liv would…and why would even…"

"Drunk," Brian interrupted. He nodded once and said, "Very drunk."

Alex looked at him, as if noticing him for the first time, and asked, "Why aren't you home with the little woman?"

Brian chocked on his coffee. Olivia smirked and folded her arms, not able to wait to see Alex's face when she heard this. "Kathy's, uh, she's been sleeping with Joey. Kathleen…she isn't mine either. She knew, and she lied to me, because I was upset enough about Maureen, and…"

"Woah," Alex said, blinking quickly. "That's a long time to be keeping a secret like that."

"Ya think?" Brian quipped, taking another gulp of his coffee. "Could you imagine raising someone else's kids? The whole time you think…"

Elliot cleared his throat. "I don't really wanna think about that, actually," he said, swigging back his coffee.

Alex rolled her eyes. "Please, Stabler, you know those little angels in there are yours."

"I wasn't talking about me and Liv," Elliot snapped, his eyes fiery and his tone severe. "I'm getting a fucking headache, now. Great."

Olivia smiled sotly and sadly at him, reaching her hands up to his temples.

Elliot grabbed her wrists, stopping her. "Don't, babe," he said, backing away from her. "I'm just…I'm gonna go back to bed for a while."

Brian, Alex, and Olivia watched him walk into the master bedroom, then Olivia looked at her company. "I have to…I'm sorry," she said. "Alex, I don't think you should be here when he wakes up, but you can stay…with Brian."

Alex gave her an apologetic smile and watched her walk into the bedroom. She would never have love like that, she thought. Not unless she let go of Elliot and focused on Chester.

* * *

"I can't take this," Fin said, pacing. "How long can this possibly take?" he asked, running his hands through his hair.

Melinda looked at him and tried not to make her sleeping son as she moved in her chair. "You heard them," she said. "This could take hours. Just…just sit down."

Fin bit his lip and sat, plopping into the chair. "It has been hours, Mel," he complained. "It doesn't take that long to compare…"

"Mister Tutuola?" the receptionist called.

Fin stood immediately and looked at her hopefully. "Yes?" he asked, tilting his head.

"This is for you," the redhead said, handing him an envelope. "You're free to go," she added.

"That's it?" he asked, surprised. "You aren't gonna tell me anything? Say anything?"

The receptionist shook her head. "Everything you need to know is in that envelope, Sir. There's nothing I can say that will help you. Have a nice day."

Fin glared at her and tore into the envelope.

"Fin," Melinda yelled, "You couldn't have waited until we got into the car?"

Fin ignored her as he read the printout, his heart racing and his head filling with rocks. "Damn," he said, dropping his arms. He looked at Melinda, then at the sleeping boy in her arms. "You really think he has my eyes?" he asked, sniffling.

"What?" Melinda asked, unsure of what that meant. "What did it say?"

Fin reach out and took the boy, laying him over his shoulder. "It said that Ken is one hundered and ten percent my son."

Melinda threw her arms around him and cried, finally acknowledging the doubts she had. She felt Fin wrap his free arm around her and she let her relief show, squeezing him tight. "I knew he was," she said, feeling the fear and worry fade.

"Let's go home," Fin said, kissing the crown of her head. Now that he knew, really knew, he could prepare. He could call Elliot, tell him the plan was a go, and move on with his life. His life, with his son and Melinda.

* * *

"I can't say I'm surprised," Kathy's father said, staring at her from across the kitchen table. "You roped him into marrying you, you lied to him for years, what did you expect?"

Kathy blinked. She knew he would be upset, but she didn't think he'd be so heartless. "Brian isn't blameless, here, Dad."

"He isn't?" her father asked, smirking behind his newspaper. "Guy gives up his whole life to take care of you and a kid that isn't his, only to be betrayed by you, yet again. How was any of that his fault?" He folded the paper over and looked at his daughter. "And if I hear the words, 'he never really loved me' or 'Olivia' come out of your mouth…"

"Fine," Kathy said, huffing. "So I made a mess of my life on my own. Will you please help me find a lawyer?"

Her father chuckled. "You're Catholic, Katherine."

"What's your point?" Kathy asked, bitter and feeling guilty now.

"No daughter of mine is going to get divorced, it's bad enough you have to go through life with a scarlet letter on your chest," he told her. "I got enough ridicule form the Church about you and Father-What's-His-Name, and then when you got knocked up in high school I thought they were going to kick me and your mother out for good." He eyed her dangerously and said, "You fix whatever is wrong with your marriage, or you find a way to deal with it all, but you are not, not as long as I have something to say about it, getting divorced. No way, Katherine."

Kathy looked at her father and shouted. "Well, what am I supposed to do, then, Dad?"

"Therapy," came his answer. "Lots of therapy."

"You would have me be miserable, for the rest of my life, than…"

"Yes," her father said, raising his newspaper again to cover his angered face. "It's for your own good, Katherine."

Kathy grabbed her bag and shook her head. "What about what Brian wants?" she asked.

"So now, all of a sudden, you care what he wants?" her father snapped. "Talk to him. If he wants to sell his soul to the Devil and take yours down with it, fine. But mark my words, if you go through with this, I will never forgive you."

Kathy blinked and titled her head. "If this was Elliot and Olivia…"

"It's not," her father said, "And it wouldn't be, because their relationship is based on real love, and trust. Not a pile of lies!"

"Dad," Kathy sighed, "You don't understand…"

"Maybe I don't," he interrupted, "But you don't either."

Kathy looked at him for a moment, then walked through the house, out the door. She would head back to her place, where Joey and the girls were waiting, and she would try like hell to understand.

* * *

"Shh," Elliot cooed into Olivia's ear. "We have company," he said, pushing into her slowly, trying to stay quiet himself.

Olivia was shocked, pleasantly though, when she came into the room to check on him and he threw her onto the bed. She told him she thought he was tired, and he said he needed her more than he needed sleep. How could she argue? She bit her lip as he drove into her, slow and deep, and kept her moaning low.

"Only with you," he mumbled, dragging his lips over her skin. "God, Liv, just you," he breathed with a low grunt, grabbing at her legs to pull them around his thrusting hips.

Olivia didn't know what he meant, but she moaned in response, in agreement. She wrapped her hands around his neck, splaying them over his back, and she kissed him.

Elliot needed to tell her, talk to her, but now was not a good time. He would tell her when they were finished, when they were exhausted and she would chalk his rambling up to exhausted delirium. He was thankful, for her, for being with her, for his children, and he didn't ever want to do anything to wreck that, to wreck them.

He would make sure he wouldn't, and couldn't, as soon as he could.

**A/N: What does their conversation lead to? What happens when they find Cragen? And Brian and Kathy make a decision. Next, before a time jump. Review here, or on Twitter: TMG212**


	53. Chapter 53

**A/N: What does their conversation lead to? What happens when they find Cragen? And Brian and Kathy make a decision. There's a time jump a' comin'. And for those that have said this is like a good soap-opera, THANK YOU! That's exactly what this is. Lol. It's supposed to be very soap-opera-like. =)**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns the characters and settings of SVU. TStabler © owns this saga.**

"Holy shit," Elliot panted, rolling onto his back and pulling Olivia back on top of him.

Olivia smirked as she looked at him, then let her head drop to his. "Yeah," she whispered.

Elliot rolled his head, letting hers fall to his shoulder. He held her close as they tried to catch their breath. "Liv," he began, taking a deep breath, "I've never cheated on you."

Olivia popped her head up. "I know that," she said, furrowing her brow. "Why are you…"

"Not even when I was gone," he interrupted. "There were so many girls around, and every other guy was hopping into their beds, but I just…I just wanted you. I closed my eyes, I thought about you, and my heart warmed up and I wasn't lonely anymore. I wanted so badly to come home to you, and…"

"El, where is this coming from?" she asked, worried.

He sighed and looked at her. "If I came back and found out you were really with Brian, that he actually made a move and kissed you, I would be devastated. My whole world would have crumbled."  
She softly kissed his lips and chin. "I would never do anything like that," she whispered, grazing her lips over his neck.

"I believe that with everything I have," he said to her. "I'm just saying…how could my father have willingly given his wife to someone else, just because he thought she had 'needs' or whatever?" He looked deeply into her eyes and said, "No one has my permission to touch you, and no one ever will. Your needs are met by me, only me, and mine…there's only you." He held up his hand and said, "We may have been young and stupid, but when I put this ring on my finger at eighteen, I knew it was never coming off."

Olivia sniffled, unaware that she was even crying. "El," she whispered to him, "No one can give me what I need, no one but you, because you are what I need."

Elliot moved his hand to her cheek, caressing the side of her face. He felt his heart beat faster as she leaned into his hand, nuzzling it, loving his touch. He bucked his hips once, starting them up again, knowing they were too sensitive now to be too quiet, but he didn't care. "I love you. I love you so fucking much it hurts."

She rolled into him, sliding on and off of him, kissed him, loved him, and said, "You took the words right out of my mouth."

* * *

Brian was staring off into space, unaware that Alex was staring at him. He heard her voice, distantly, and snapped toward her. "Huh?" he asked.

"I said, I'm leaving. Tell Olivia…I'll call her." Alex rose off of the couch and grabbed her bag, walked to the door, and looked back around one last time. She realized that she was holding onto an infatuation, trying to prove to Olivia that Elliot was not infallible. She could never get him alone, could never prove he would one day hurt her, and she shook her head. She was going to let Olivia make the mistake, and she would be there when her life crumbled, just like she promised she would be. She opened the door and walked out, heading to meet Chester back at their hotel.

Brian, however, hardly noticed she had gone. He was too lost in thought. He walked over to the land phone, picking up their Yellow Pages. He flipped through it until he found the page he was looking for, and he picked up the phone. He dialed the number and waited, and then said, "Hi, uh, my name is Brian Cassidy, and I would like to know…how do I go about filing for divorce?" He waited for a moment, then said, "Yeah, I'll hold."

Casey walked out of her room then. She had a small smile on her face and she was dressed up, a red dress hugging her curves and her hair falling to her shoulders.

"Damn, Novak," Brian said with a grin. "Hot date?" he joked.

Casey nodded. "Actually, yes. Trevor's taking me to an event at his father's law firm, and then to an early dinner."

"Good for you," Brian said with a nod. The woman to whom he was speaking picked up the phone then, getting his attention. "Hello? Yes, I did. Oh, uh, she was…well. This would be easier to talk about in…okay. Yes. Five O'Clock, then. Thank you."

Casey put her earring in, then walked over to him. "What was that about?" she asked.

Brian sighed. "Lawyer," he said bluntly. "I'm gonna face this, I don't care how catholic I am, I'm going to talk to a lawyer."

"You've got one right here!" Casey shouted. "Well, almost. And after what she did to you, you can claim entrapment and infidelity, and you can get it annulled. You don't have to get a divorce. It'll save your eternal soul and a fuckload of money."

"Thanks," Brian said with a smile. He looked at her then, something strange in his eyes, and he said, "You really do look beautiful, Novak."

Casey blushed. Brian Cassidy had made her blush. "Thanks, Cassidy," she said, returning his smile. She watched him walk over to the couch, grab a bag, then head into the bathroom. She sighed, thinking that he looked really lonely, really sad, and really good without his shirt. "What?" she asked herself, realizing what she'd just thought. "I really need to get control over my hormones. No way did I just think Brian Cassidy was hot."

She walked over to Olivia and Elliot's door, preparing to knock, when she realized that's exactly what she'd thought. She shuddered as she pounded her fist against the wood, and shouted, "I'm going out with Trevor. I'll be back around nine."

* * *

Fin and Melinda had just sat down to dinner, their son in his high-chair, and they were waiting for the waiter to come take their order. Fin looked up from the menu and something across the restaurant caught his eye. "Oh, my God," he gasped.

"What?" Melinda asked, turning around. She saw what he was looking at, and her temper flared. "Seriously, Fin?"

"Look, she's been in California for the last two years. I'm allowed to be a little shocked if she walks into a New York City restaurant, Mel!"

Melinda shook her head. "You don't look shocked," she said. "You look disappointed."

Fin furrowed his brow. Maybe his face was too readable. He was disappointed all right, because Casey looked amazing, and it wasn't him on her arm, it was someone who looked vaguely familiar, but it wasn't him. He blinked and shook his head, looking back at Melinda. His eyes moved to his son, and he smiled.

His smile faded, though, as he remembered how wonderful Casey was with him when he was a baby, and how perfect they were together. He gave her up because Melinda had shown up one night in a skimpy black dress, as if she was tormenting him by showing him what he was missing. He sighed, looking back at Casey. She was better off without him, he thought. Life would just be easier for her without him and a three year old holding her back. He only hoped letting her go wasn't going to hold him back in return.

* * *

"You sure you don't mind?" Olivia asked, handing Lizzie to Brian.

Brian, now that he sobered up, showered, and shaved, laughed. "I haven't seen them in so long, Benson," he said. "I can watch them while you and Elliot go do what you have to do. I just have to leave at…"

"Six," Elliot said. "We know. We'll be back before then. This won't take long." He kissed his daughter and his son, then took Olivia's hand. "Thanks, man."

"Anytime, bro," Brian said. "Whenever you need me to take care of the kids, or Olivia, just ask."

Elliot cringed. He would never ask Brian to take care of Olivia again. "Right," he spat quickly. He pulled Olivia out of the house, out to the car, and he drove them into Manhattan. "Don Cragen," he mumbled to himself. "Probably an asshole, like my father."

Olivia shook her head. "You don't know that," she said. "He could be really nice. I swear we know him, Elliot. That name…the cop! When we totaled your truck and I…"

"The mountain," Elliot said, narrowing his eyes as he interrupted her. "That cop…his name was Cragen."

"He said he was a city cop," Olivia pointed out.

Elliot shook his head. "No way," he said. "Too much of a coincidence."

"What if it wasn't a coincidence?" she asked, holding her breath as they drove over the bridge.

Elliot looked at her, squinted, and then said, "You think my dad told him where we were?"

"Fin said he called your father and then this Cragen guy shows up?" Olivia asked. "That's too…"

"Shit," Elliot said, cutting her off. He drove a little faster, silent, and pulled into an empty spot in front of the station his father had mentioned. He looked out the window at it, feeling like his whole life would change the minute he and his wife walked into the building.

He had no idea just how right he really was.

**A/N: TIME JUMP IS NEXT! Review here, or on Twitter: TMG212**


	54. Chapter 54

**A/N: Time jump, new scenario, new people.**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns the characters and settings of SVU. TStabler © owns this saga.**

**January 17****th****, 2004**

"Damn," a man in blue and grey sweats, taking off his shirt, said. "Did you see that body?"

"It was kind of hard to miss," another man, also shedding clothes said. "It's pouring rain out there, the clothes stuck to her like…shit. She's got one hell of an ass."

The first man chuckled. "You believe she's got kids? Two of 'em," he said.

"No way," the second man scoffed. "No one with that body popped out two babies. Besides, even if it's true, she's definitely a MILF, man. Correction. A MIGF."

"What the hell is a MIGF?" the first man asked, grabbing a towel.

"Mom I'm Gonna Fuck," the second man laughed.

A third man entered the conversation. "Guys, she is somebody's mother! Somebody's wife! A woman! Have a little respect!"

"Oh, who the hell are you? The morality police?" the second man asked, pissed off.

"No," the third man said, "I just know how to treat a lady. Besides, if you even tried, she'd beat the shit out of you. She's tough."

"She's a rookie," the first man said.

Elliot, listening to the conversation, turned around and asked, "Who are you guys talking about, anyway?"

"Benson," all three of them snipped together.

Anger, pride, and jealousy flashed in Elliot's eyes. "You should watch what you say about her. Especially around me," he warned.

"Oh, lemme guess, you already got her in bed?" the second man asked, folding his arms. "Way to go, Stabler," he said, patting Elliot on the back.

The first man smirked. "Is she as good as she looks? That body, does it move the way I think it does?"

"Yeah," Elliot said, his nostrils flaring. "It's one of the reasons I married her."

The two rude men turned pale. They cleared their throats and closed their lockers, bolting for the showers.

Elliot chuckled, shaking his head, and looked up. "They're right you know," he said with a shrug. "She definitely does not look like she's got kids, man."

The third man, Brian Cassidy, laughed. "I would say something, but you're already pissed off."

"Like I don't know you still have the hots for my wife," Elliot teased, slapping Brian's shoulder.

Brian chuckled. "As a recently divorced man, Stabler, I can say that if she was single, I would make a move," he said. "A big, fucking move."

"You're not divorced, you had it annulled," Elliot reminded him, tugging his tee-shirt on over his still-wet hair and over his damp body. "There's a difference."

Brian shrugged. "Hey, man, you trust her? In this situation, you trust her?"

Elliot nodded, pulling up his jeans. "With everything I have," he said. "It's the police academy, man. She went through college dodging guys and being completely faithful. Twenty-six weeks of this isn't gonna change that, especially since I'm right here with her."

"And your father is…"

"He isn't my father," Elliot snapped. "Don't call him that," he barked.

Brian's eyes widened. "Sorry," he said, holding up his hands.

Elliot sighed. "I don't even know him yet, man," he said with a shrug. "We've had dinner with him every Saturday for the last seven months, and I know nothing about him. We always talk about the kids, our lives, and work. Ya know, he came to our graduation? My…Joe…he didn't, but Don Cragen did. What the hell does that even mean?"

Brian shrugged. He closed his locker and followed Elliot out of the locker-room, into the gym, through the building, and out into the cold, wintry night.

* * *

"Are you sure you wanna do this?" Trevor asked his girlfriend of seven months.

Casey nodded. "I'm only home for another two days, Trev. I have class on Thursday. I wanna spend as much time with you as possible. You wanna do this, I'm doing it with you," she said.

"You sure you don't think this is fast?" Trevor asked, kissing her.

"We could go faster," Casey said, seductively.

Trevor looked at her for a moment, smirked, then said, "Hang on, Case." He stepped on the gas, reared back, and circled the lot, screeching his tires as he took Casey for the ride of her life. The would be lawyer, though, still harbored feelings for a married mother of two, and would soon find out just how strong of a hold she had on him.

Casey looked at him, laughing and smiling, and couldn't help but wonder if he was right for her. She was falling hard and fast, like she usually did, and didn't want to get hurt, like she usually did. She sighed, then yelped as Trevor took another turn. He would do for now, she thought, deciding to let herself have fun before getting serious.

She didn't want to end up like Olivia.

Married with children before she turned twenty, and now Olivia had a college degree, a burgeoning career, and a big house. On second thought, maybe Casey wanted to be exactly like Olivia.

* * *

Kathy watched Joey as he played with his girls on the living room floor. After dissolving her marriage, she moved in with him. She'd been trying to get him to call his mother, talk to his brother, something, but she was failing. It seemed the only things he cared about anymore were the girls and his job.

"Stop staring at me," he called, not looking at her.

Kathy sighed. "Call your brother," she said, folding her arms.

Joey sighed. "look, I'm not calling Elliot. I'm not calling anyone in that family. They all lied to me for twenty-five fucking years!"

"Elliot is going through the same thing," Kathy said. "He didn't know either, you said it yourself. Just…call him, Joey. If not for me, for your daughters. They miss their uncle."

"They do? Or you do," Joey accused, looking at her with narrow eyes.

Kathy raised an eyebrow. "They do," she said firmly. "I love you, and I know you miss him, too."

Joey sighed and put Maureen down. "I will call him, if it'll get you off my case," he said. "On one condition," he added, standing.

"What?" Kathy asked, tilting her head.

"Call your father," Joey told her, folding his arms.

Kathy blinked. She hadn't spoken to him in almost five months, after she told him Brian wanted an annulment. "I…I can't, Joey. That's different. The man disowned…"

"The man is your father, Kath! You still have one, so you need to fix this before you don't anymore. Don't be your usual, selfish, self, though. Look at this from his point-of-view, and talk to him."

Kathy took a deep breath and nodded. "Call Elliot," she said, turning away from him to head out of the apartment, preparing to face her father, and her fear.

* * *

"What did you say your name was?" a pretty woman asked, looking at Olivia as they ran toward the academy gates.

"Benson," Olivia said, grimacing at the need to use her maiden name. "Olivia Benson."

"I've been watching you," the woman said. "You're good, ya know. Strong, fast, fearless, I mean, I've seen my share of chicks come through here and have never seen anyone take a punch like you."

Olivia scoffed. "Nothing anyone here could do would hurt me," she said. "I've been through worse, and I survived."

"See? That's what I'm talking about. Strong, Benson. You're strong," she said.

Olivia stopped running, put her hands on her hips, and asked with a smirk, "Are you hitting on me Jeffries?"

The woman laughed. "No," she said. "Just telling you that you're in the right place."

"I know I am," Olivia said with a nod. "I'm where I always wanted to be." She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I've got an incredible family, I'm doing what I've wanted to do my entire life, I'm…I'm in the right place."

"Family?" Jeffries asked, confused. "Your file said…"

"Husband," Olivia interrupted. "Kids, in-laws, friends. They're my family. My mother doesn't count. She never has. And my father…well if I know who he was, I'd probably be arrested for murder." She chuckled and shook her head.

Jeffries looked at her for a moment. "You have kids?" she asked. "Are you gonna be able to be away from them for…"

"They're with their aunt when we're gone," Olivia interrupted again. "And we see them every morning, and we read to them when we can, we're making this work. My little three-year-olds are…"

"Three?" Jeffries spat, shocked. "How old were you when…"

"Eighteen," she answered quickly. "I had just turned eighteen. Don't look at me like that," she said, folding her arms.

Jeffries grinned. "I was just gonna say…parents make the best cops. Especially in the field you want to be in, Benson. Is that…that's not your married name, is it?" she asked.

Olivia sighed and shook her head. "No. It's, uh, it's Stabler."

"Oh, no, you're not telling me…"

"Yeah, I am," Olivia nodded. "I know it's unconventional, but…"

Jeffries held up a hand. "I'm not talking about that. We've had married couples come through the academy together before. It's frowned upon, but not illegal, and you two are very professional when you're together. I'm talking about Joe. He was my C.O, he's the one who convinced me to become one, he pushed me and…I think I'm gonna need to look out for you."

"I got someone looking out for me," Olivia said, her eyes narrow.

"better you've got me there, too," Jeffries said. "Stay smart, Benson, and don't be surprised if we run into each other after you graduate."

Olivia watched Jeffries run back toward staff quarters, and she wondered what that was all about. She turned, swiping her card over the sensor to head for the car, where she said she would meet Elliot.

She walked into the lot, spotted him leaning up against their blue beetle, and she ran toward him with a smile.

He ran, too, and lifted her up, spun her around, and kissed her. "I missed you," he whispered, brushing her lips with his.

She chuckled. "We can't shower together, El," she said, raising an eyebrow. "We haven't been apart that long."

"Five minutes is too long, what do you think an hour did to me?" he laughed. "Oh, hey, ya know you've got half the guys in our unit taking cold showers?"

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "Some of the girls are drooling over you, too, Mister," she chuckled, poking him in the chest with her finger.

His eyes were glue to hers. "I mean it, Liv. They were pretty far gone, talking about…"

"Hey," she said, stopping him. She cupped his face and kissed him slowly. "Nothing to worry about," she whispered, kissing him again.

"I told them," he said. "I told them you were my wife and…"

"Good," Olivia said, nodding. "I told Jeffries. She got weird about it, said she knows Joe and has to watch out for us now. It was strange."

Elliot sighed. "This whole thing is strange. But we're here, we're together, we're going home, and after we get the twins in bed, I am gonna take you into the bedroom, and find out just how strong you really are." He growled and kissed her, pinning her up against the car.

"If we even make it home," she mumbled against his lips. As the sun set in the winter sky, she wrapped her arms around him and laughed, letting him do whatever he wanted to her for the moment.

Someone watching them, in the shade of the nearby tree, hoped he would take things too far, hoped he would see what he was so curious about, hoping to one day get it for himself, and hoping Elliot would never find out.

**A/N: Who's watching? What did Jeffries mean? And a dinner with Cragen, next! Review here, or on Twitter: TMG212**


	55. Chapter 55

**A/N: As the sand through the hourglass, so are the days in the lives of the young and the beautiful….(or something like that.)**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns the characters. That's pretty much it. Everything else written before you is pure TStabler© **

Elliot held onto Olivia, kissing her roughly as he pushed the door open. Passion and fire were rolling off of them in waves of heat, although they were soaking wet. Running in the rain, even just from their car to their door, had left them sopping. He growled as he kissed her, his hands were everywhere on her, hers were following the curves of his muscles, they were lost.

"Okay, so, I'm gonna go," Victoria said, raising one hand to shield her eyes as she grabbed her bag. "The kids are asleep, and I'm not staying to put you two to bed," she said, walking out the door.

Elliot, hearing his sister, chuckled against Olivia's lips. "Bye," he said, long after she was gone, his fingers wrapped around the waistband of Olivia's sweatpants.

Olivia moaned, shifting her hips to help him remove the offensive cotton. She felt the wet clothes slide down her body and her lips pulled away from his. "El," she whispered.

"Baby," he returned, looking into her eyes. He grinned, seeing the bright brown flecked with gold that he loved so much, telling him she was happy. The gold specks had not faded since she had the twins, and he would make sure they never would. "I love you," he said with a smirk.

"I love…" she was cut off when he slammed his mouth over hers again. He dragged his own grey pants down, dropped his wet boxers, and held onto her as he pushed her further into the wall and hiked her bare legs around his waist. He grunted as he pushed into her, moaned as she bit his lip in response to his intrusion, and they rolled together, meeting move for move, up against the wall. On nights like this, they couldn't make it to the bed.

The man outside, grinning through his binoculars, was very glad they couldn't. He stood up straight and hid the black device behind his back. "Goodnight, Vick," he said, nodding at Elliot's sister walking to her car.

"Goodnight, Brian," she said, nodding back. "I would wait a while before going in there!" she yelled with a laugh, getting into her car and driving away.

Brian sighed, then lifted the binoculars back to his eyes. "I could wait all night," he chuckled, enjoying the show well into the following morning.

* * *

A ringing phone echoed through Dean's apartment, and he rolled his eyes and apologized to the girl beneath him. He reached out a hand and grabbed the receiver, giving a gruff greeting. "Dad, I can't. Now is a really bad time for…okay, but, Pop, I'm…Monique who? Dad, I really can't..." he gave up arguing and sighed. "Fine. I will." He hung up and kissed the beautiful brunette underneath him. "To be continued," he said, getting up.

"You can't leave now!" the girl yelled.

Dean looked at her. "Honey, I have to go. My father needs me to do something, and technically, he's my boss so…"

"What could be so important at one in the mornin'?" the woman interrupted, a thick southern accent shining through.

"Dana," Dean said, running his hand down his face, "I gotta go take care of something, and apparently time is of the essence."

The woman, named Dana, rolled her eyes. "You want me to stay here?" she asked, pulling the sheet around her and sitting up.

Dean nodded, bent down, and kissed her. "Make yourself at home. I'll be back soon," he said. He pulled on his shirt, grabbed his ID tag, and walked out of the apartment, leaving Dana cold and confused.

* * *

"Hey, Case?" Trevor called, standing in her bathroom.

Casey walked over to him, draped an arm around him, and said, "Right here."

Trevor looked at her, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Who's Charlie?"

Casey turned pale white. She hadn't heard that name in years. "Why, uh, why are you asking about Charlie?"

Trevor shrugged, continuing to brush his teeth. "Came up in a case-study," he said. "You and him, something…pretty awful, it's all part of my tactics of criminal defense class."

"Who's your professor?" Casey asked, raising an eyebrow. "Those files were sealed."

"Donnelly," Trevor said. "She's using her own case-files for educational purposes. This Charlie guy, honey, I can't…" he paused, looking at her. "His testimony was…Casey, the man in crazy. If you know where he is, or if you've seen him, I…"

"He's not crazy," Casey snapped. "You don't even know him, Trevor!" She turned on her heels, amazed at how personally she'd reacted, and headed out of the bathroom.

Trevor sighed and turned around, pointing his toothbrush at her. "Yes," he said. "I do."

Casey turned to look at him, her eyes narrow. She stepped slowly toward him, blinking. "What?" she asked, gasping for air.

"I used a few lab hours to run a personal search," he told her. "I found him. Casey, he was here? Why didn't you…"

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

Trevor wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. "You should have told me," he whispered. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was scared," Casey admitted. "I didn't want to relive…my closest friends don't even know the whole story. He's not crazy, Trev, he's sick. I thought I could help him, so I…"

"Shh," he hushed. "If he comes around here again, you call me. I will send someone to check on you, and then I'll fly out here myself."

Casey nodded. She kissed him, thinking for a moment that she finally found someone who was willing to give her everything, and she decided then that she would do the same thing. "Do you have to leave tonight?" she asked, looking into his eyes.

Trevor nodded. "I have class, and work tomorrow," he told her. "But I'll be back on Friday." He kissed her, pushing her into the bedroom. "I wanna enjoy our last day together," he said.

Casey nodded, kissing him, and let him lay her on the bed, preparing to spend a lazy Sunday together, before life split them up for another week.

* * *

"Hey," Chester said, yelling after Alex. "You need this!" He waved her briefcase in the air and laughed as she broke her heel trying to run back to get it. He walked it over to her and said through his chuckles, "Sorry."

Alex blew a puff of smoke in his face. "I'm going on a job interview, Chester! What the hell is funny about my broken heel?"

"Calm down," Chester said to her, kissing her cheek. "You're gonna get the job, you're gonna go back to New York and work in that firm, finish your degree at Columbia, do everything you ever wanted."

Alex sighed. "You have more confidence in me than I do," she said with a soft smile.

Chester nodded. "I always have. That's what scared you, that's why you held on to what's-his-name. You didn't want me to…"

"I know," she said, kissing him. "Moved on, over it, happy now." She smirked, yanked the heel off of her other shoe and said, "You think you can handle being back in New York?"

"Uh," Chester hesitated, "Yeah. I think we can do it."

She smiled again, kissed him one more time, and ran for the corner, hoping to catch the bus. Chester sighed, watching her go. He wondered how he would tell her he wasn't going with her.

* * *

Fin ran his hands through his hair as he paced back and forth outside the doors of the Police Academy's admittance office. The door in front of him swung open and a tall man in sunglasses peered at him. "You're Tutuola?" he asked.

Fin nodded. "Yeah," he said, clearing his throat.

The man in the sunglasses moved aside, letting him walk through and closed the door behind him. "You passed the physical, you passed the psych eval," he said. "Only one thing is holding you up."

Fin looked up at the man. "What?" he asked.

"You're references," the bespectacled man said. "You have two people down here, in the academy themselves, and they have connections to a few people higher up in the ranks."

Fin nodded. "My best friends," he said with a shrug. "We all kinda wanted to do this together," he said, biting his lip. "How is that a problem?"

"I didn't say it was a problem, kid," the man said, sitting at a desk in front of Fin. "I just wanna know something before I give you the green light, here."

"What?" Fin asked, leaning forward.

The man in the glasses grinned. "How well do you know them?" he asked. He handed a clipboard and a pen to Fin and said, "Write down everything you can tell me about Elliot Stabler and Olivia Benson. Answere as many as you can."

Fin took the pen but narrowed his eyes. "Her name is Sta…"

"Right," the man said, nodding. "Just answer the questions on that form, and you're done."

Fin looked down at the forms and his eyes widened. "I can't, uh, I can't answer these."

"Sure you can," the man said. "It's completely legal and…"

"No, I mean, I can't answer them," Fin interrupted, dropping the clipboard and pen onto the desk. "I have no idea who her father is and her mother's dead. His family, last I checked, was happy, so asking me who his father is is pointless. I'm guessin' you know that. These are irrelevant questions."

The man in the glasses smirked. "Welcome to the academy, kid," he said, holding his hand out. If their best friend didn't even know the truth, then everything was fine.

* * *

Elliot and Olivia were sitting at Don Cragen's dining room table, finishing their brunch in awkward silence. They looked over at their twins, sleeping in their highchairs, each holding a crayon tightly in their hands.

"Well, aren't they sweet?" Cragen said, smiling.

Olivia and Elliot both turned to him. "Yeah," Elliot said gruffly. He ran a hand down his face and said, "Look, Sir, I don't want to hurt you or anything, but we've been doing this for a while, and it's not getting us anywhere, so…"

"Exactly," Cragen interrupted. He sighed and said, "I don't know what I'm doing, Elliot. And I'm sorry. I just…I wanted some kind of relationship with you that wasn't strictly professional. I wanted you to know you aren't a mistake, some side-effect of an affair gone wrong, I…"

"My fath…Joe explained," he said. "My mother tried to explain, but she remembers things in Technicolor and surround sound, so I don't know when I'm getting the truth or her exaggerations."

Don nodded. "Well, uh, you know, then, that I would have been there for you if it was any other way," he said with a small smile. "It wasn't my place, Elliot. When Joe came home, it was his family, my job was done. That's the best I can give you."

"Fourteen more weeks," Elliot said, rolling his eyes. "Then we move on, right? Then you're gonna forget about me..and…"

"I won't," Don interrupted. "I read your files, and know where you plan on going. I need the two of you to know something…it might change things."

Dickie made a whimpering noise, Olivia immediately got up and walked over to her son, spooning him up in her arms and rocking him. She hummed to the boy softly as she nodded at Elliot to have his conversation. She swayed with her son, listening intently with discretion.

"Okay," Elliot said, nodding. He leaned forward, prepared for whatever Cragen was going to tell him.

Don sighed. "The unit you plan on going into…uh…well, depending on the precinct…"

"Tell me," Elliot said, tired of the hesitation.

"I'm the captain of Manhattan's Special Victim's Unit," Cragen said. "It's up to me who comes and who goes, so I've been asking you here, hoping to gauge whether or not I'd be able to handle having you under my control, if and when you're given a gold shield and volunteer for the squad."

Olivia's snapped up and over to Cragen. "He's not the one who wants that," she said. "I do, so that's not…"

"Liv," Elliot interrupted, closing his eyes, "I'm gonna…"

Olivia gasped. "What?" she asked. "Since when? Why?" she asked, sitting again, still holding her sleeping son.

Elliot kissed the boy's forehead, then kissed his wife's lips. "You're so passionate about it, you have the drive to fight for these people, and every time I think about what happened to your mom and what happened to you, and hundreds of thousands of other people I…it pisses me off that these pricks are getting away with it." He looked into her eyes and said, "Sex should be one of the most amazing parts of life, not the worst. Something that intimate and special…being taken like that…I want them all found and I hope the same damned thing happens to them. He saw the look in her eyes and said, "Besides, working Homicide with Joe Stabler is probably not a good idea right now."

Cragen smiled as he saw them kiss, sharing a tender moment, but after hearing a speech like that, and reasons like those, he knew there was no way, if Elliot ever submitted transfer papers to his unit, that he could deny them. He ran a hand down his face and shook his head, hoping no one would ever find out he was Elliot's father, hoping he could keep their personal relationship a secret from the men in charge.

He would have to have a long conversation with a few people in a few years, and he was starting to prepare for it now.

**A/N: What does Dean have to do for his father? How is Monique involved? How are things with Kathy and Joey? Elliot gets a phone call when he gets home, but from whom? And Fin drags the truth out of the man in the glasses. A time jump is a'comin' along with these answers! Review here, or on Twitter: TMG212 **


	56. Chapter 56

**A/N: The time will come when they're not so young and beautiful...**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns the characters. That's pretty much it. Everything else written before you is pure TStabler© **

"Why did you gimme this?" Fin asked, ignoring the man's held out hand. "What do you want with them?"

The man in the glasses blinked. "They're very important people, kid. They have a lot of connections, and any secrets about them that might get out, to the other rookies and to the higher ups, it could be bad. Ya get it?"

"No, I don't," Fin said, folding his arms. "What secrets?" he asked. "They don't have any secrets. Not from each other, not from me..."

"Are you sure?" the man asked, narrowing his eyes. He wanted to rub the kids face in how little he really knew about his so-called best-friends, but he wasn't sure if this kid could be trusted or not. "I need you to keep an eye on them, while you're here. If anyone bothers them, goes near them, and it looks suspicious to you, you come tell me. Clear?"

Fin nodded, still confused, and said, "Where do I get my schedule and..."

"Out there, third door on your right," the man said, and as he watched Fin leave he smirked. He had just given his some some prime backup.

* * *

Dean walked into his fathers office, looking irritated. "What do you want?" he spat. "I was busy. Very busy, actually."

"Don't talk to me like that, you want this life, you have to start acting like an agent," his father told him. "Joe called me today, said he got a threatening phone call from some cop chick. Monique Jeffries. She's someone from his past, and now she's threatening his future, and the lives of Elliot, Olivia, and the twins."

"What?" How?" Dean asked, sitting, suddenly interested.

Dean's father sighed and took off his glasses. "When Joe was a trainer at the academy, this bitch accused him of sexually harassing her. It was all a bunch of lies, but it was damaging nonetheless." He cleared his throat and said, "Joe moved up in the world and she's a CO now. She got the rookies for this term, saw Elliot's last name and now she's making his life at the academy hell, pushing him farther than any other kid, making him work longer, run faster, it's shit."

Dean shrugged. "So what does she..."

"She met Olivia in one of her combat classes," the elder Porter continued. "Olivia let it slip that she and Elliot were married, and that's when she realized Elliot wasn't the bad guy anymore. She thinks Joe is gonna try something, or already has, with Olivia. She won't stop until..."

Dean raised a hand. "Are you telling me that Joe raped this girl, and now..."

"I told you she was lying!" his father yelled. "All I'm saying is she wants revenge, she wants to put him through hell because she is still pissed off about something that happened ten years ago. She's gonna start talking to Olivia, planting these horrible ideas in her head."

"And you want me to do what, exactly?" Dean asked.

"Same thing I'm asking Brian and that new kid to do," his father said. "Stick around, stay close to them, if she says or does anything that you think is bordering on unprofessional, come tell me."

Dean looked around and shook his head. "Dad, this is...I mean, is moving your office to the Police Academy really..."

"It's only for eight more weeks," his father interrupted. "I promised Joe I'd watch out for them. He hasn't talked to Elliot in a while, they had some kind of fight, and this is the only way he can..."

"You're his spy?" Dean asked, appalled. "Jesus, Dad, you're taking this a little too far. He saved Mom, I get it, but is it really worth all of this?"

Dean's father took a deep breath and nodded. "When you're in love, and you have kids, you will understand. He would do the same thing for me if I asked him," he explained.

Dean sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Where are they?" he asked,

Porter's father checked his watch and said, "Should be home by now."

Dean nodded, let out a harsh breath, and walked out of the office, hoping he could stop in and see them, then get back to Dana before she left.

* * *

"Kathy!" Joey yelled, "Hey! Kath!"

Kathy ran into the living room, wiping her hands with a towel, and yelled back, "What? What happened?"

"Nothing, I just thought you should see this," Joey said, pointing to his two daughters, twirling around in tutus.

Kathy looked at them, and she smiled. So young, so innocent. Everything she was, and then suddenly wasn't. She looked at Joey and for a moment, she couldn't remember why she ever wanted his brother, and she said, "I love you."

He turned and smiled at her. "I love you, too, Kath," he said, kissing her. "I'm sorry about yesterday, the...yelling and the fighting...I...I'm gonna call him."

"Good," she said. "My father, uh...he wasn't home."

Joey looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "I watched you stay in the car for twenty minutes, baby, you didn't even go."

She looked up at him and her eyes widened. "Wow," she whispered, "I, uh...um..."

"It's fine," Joey said, looking back at his little ballerinas. "I get it. I'm not gonna push you."

Kathy nodded and walked back into the kitchen, and she sighed as she started to chop the potatoes. She looked at the phone, put the knife down, and picked up the receiver. Calling her father was a step in the right direction.

* * *

Elliot held the door while Olivia wheeled the stroller into the house, and he kissed her deeply before closing and locking it. "That guy is...weird," he said.

Olivia yawned and unbuckled Lizzie, picking her up and heading into the kids' room. "He's trying," she called into him. "You gotta give him that."

Elliot carried Dickie into the room and put him into his bed, kissing his forehead and pulling up his sheets. "Yeah," he sighed. "I just...I don't know about this, ya know? Letting him into our lives, into our family, I mean, neither one of us has ever really needed parents."

Olivia stood up straight after tucking Lizzie in, and folded her arms. "I needed them, El. I just never had them. Not really. You understand where he's coming from, don't you?"

"I do," he sighed. He pulled her into his arms, kissed her sweetly, and said, "I will never do anything to hurt you or the kids. You three come first, now and always. I just hope...I hope I can be the kinda father we never got. The kind of parent we only wished for."

She reached up and cupped his face, and she whispered, "You already are. You're an amazing father, and a wonderful husband."

He smiled and said, "Well, you know me, baby. I never do anything half-assed."

She chuckled against his lips and pushed him lightly, nudging him out of the room, trying to get him into their room. "You always give it one hundred and ten percent, don't you?" she teased.

"Once a Marine, always a Marine," he quipped. He pulled on her shirt, lifting it over her head, dropping it to the floor, but when they heard a throat clear, their heads snapped toward the sound. Elliot's eyes widened and he held Olivia's bra-clad body closer to him. "Brian, buddy, what are you doing here?"

"I'm staying here, remember?" Brian replied with a chuckle.

"Thought you had a date," Elliot mumbled, trying to get Olivia's shirt back on.

Brian shrugged. "Ended early," he said. "She wasn't my type. But, uh, you two can just...pretend I'm not here." He sat on the sofa, hoping to rewatch the show they'd given him last night.

"Pass," Olivia said, half-smirking. "You want a drink?" she asked, looking into Elliot's eyes.

He dropped his voice and leaned closer to her lips. "I want to fuck you senseless, twice, but that's not gonna happen right now is it?" he teased.

She kissed him slowly, biting down and pulling on his lower lip as she pulled away from him. "In an hour," she whispered. "Shower," she said with a wink.

He growled and kissed her again, then slapped her ass lightly as she walked into the kitchen. "Grab me a bottle of water, huh?" he asked.

Brian was watching her walk, too, and looked up at Elliot. "You must have done something amazing in a past life," he said. "Amazing wife, great kids, fabulous house that you can actually afford, and you aren't even thirty."

"Shit, Bri, I'm not even twenty-six, yet," Elliot laughed.

"Oh, uh, some guy named Dean came by, looking for you," Brian said, leaning forward. "Said he would be your SOS or something? And then he told me to tell you Semper Fi, and then he made a grunting noise which I told him I would do, but I can't do it."

Elliot laughed. "It's okay, man, I know what you're talking about. Marine talk," he said. He heard the phone ring, heard Olivia yell that she'd answer it, and he scratched his head. "Why the hell would I need an SOS on a Police Academy campus?" he asked himself, trying to think of what kind of danger would be lurking around a bunch of cops.

Olivia walked over with a bottle of water and the cordless phone. She handed both to him, and sat beside him.

"Who is it?" he asked with narrow eyes, checking before he spoke to the person.

She dropped her chin to his shoulder, looked into his eyes, and said, "Your brother."

**A/N: What do they talk about? When Monique asks Olivia too many personal questions, how does she react? Hiny: someone needs stitches. And someone gets back to New York. Review here or on Twitter: TMG212**


	57. Chapter 57

**A/N: What do they talk about? When Monique asks Olivia too many personal questions, how does she react? Hint: someone needs stitches. And someone gets back to New York.**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns the characters. That's pretty much it. Everything else written before you is pure TStabler©**

Elliot took the phone out of her hands, kissing her forehead. "Joey," he sighed into the receiver. "Uh, yeah, I missed you, too." He rolled his eyes when he felt Olivia rubbing the obvious tension out of his shoulders. "Yeah, they're getting big," he said with a smile, talking about his children. "She's great, yeah. Oh, uh, it's fine. Tough, but nothing compared to the Marine Corps," he said, looking up at Olivia.

Brian suddenly felt like he was intruding. He had watched them have passionate sex up against the wall, and he didn't feel like he was invading their privacy. Watching them like this, listening to the conversation, he felt guilty.

Olivia kissed Elliot's forehead and ran a hand over his head as he spoke to Joey, wondering what was going through his mind. She narrowed her eyes when he furrowed his brow.

"Um, no," Elliot said, sitting up straighter. "I didn't know. Not until…well Cabot of all people…because I thought…how the hell did you….he told you? He told you, but he didn't tell me? That's wonderful." He ran a hand down his face and shook his head. "No, I, uh, I met him. He's…he's nice. He had a drinking problem, yeah, why? Oh, Joey. Man," he said, his eye sliding shut.

Olivia didn't know what was just said, but she knew that it was enough to make Elliot want to cry. Or hit things.

* * *

Alex, dry-eyed and tired, waited in an uncomfortable chair. Her new internship was waiting for her in New York, and Chester drove her to the airport. He walked her in and waited with her for a moment, and then he finally told her that he was staying in California to finish school. He enrolled in a twenty-six week intensive program for something, he wouldn't tell her what, and he promised he would fly out to be with her as soon as it was done.

She cried, harder than ever, and by the time he walked away she had no more tears. She heard the boarding call for her flight, and she sighed as she walked toward the gate. New York held a lot of memories, and a lot people who were probably still mad at her.

She only hoped they all knew how to forgive.

* * *

Casey, still reeling from her last romp with Trevor, sighed as she watched him get out of the bed and walk over to the closet. He pulled out the pants that were handing on the door, and he chuckled, sliding them on.

"What?" Casey asked, propping herself up on her elbows.

"I live across the country," Trevor said, turning around, "And I still have half a closet full of clothes here."

Casey smiled at him. "Because I like to have your clothes here," she said. "When I miss you too much, I wear them."

Trevor laughed. "I love how girls can get away with that. If I missed you and pulled on one of your shirts, I would be laughed out of law school."

"Girls look cute in their boyfriends' clothes," Casey said, finally getting out of the bed. She leaned over and grabbed Trevor's discarded sweatshirt and pulled it over her head. "See?" she said, posing for him.

Trevor walked over and kissed her, smoothing his hands over her hair. "You're adorable," he whispered. "I'm gonna miss you," he told her with a kiss.

"I'll see you Friday," she said with a shrug, kissing him again.

"I'll pick you up at the airport," he said, tying his tie, kissing her one more time. "I love you, Case," he said, smiling at her as he picked up his bag and walked out of her apartment.

He didn't give her time it say it back.

* * *

Fin walked around the academy, being led by two superior officers. He looked around and couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. He was doing something important, he thought. Something that would make his son proud. As they walked into the mess hall, he took a harsh breath, watching as a gorgeous woman in a blue uniform turned around, seemingly in slow motion.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked, tilting her head.

Fin cleared his throat and said, "Uh, I'm Fin. Odafin Tutuola. I'm a new…guy…here."

She smirked and held out her hand. "Monique," she said. "I'm looking forward to kicking your ass."

"What?" Fin asked, his eyes widening.

Monique laughed. "I'm a C.O," she said. "Physical training and weapons," she told him. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow," she said, walking away. She smiled at him over her shoulder, thinking that, for a kid, he was very attractive.

Fin finally took a breath, unaware that he'd forgotten to do so for the last few minutes. He heard someone calling him, and suddenly remembered that Melinda was waiting for him. With their son. He was gonna be in trouble tomorrow, he knew it.

* * *

The flight was long, boring, and made Alex incredibly nervous. She got her luggage and walked through the airport, her breath coming quicker as she made it closer to the doors. She was back in New York, back where her life fell apart, and back where she hoped she could put it all back together.

"Taxi!" she yelled, waving an arm as she walked down the crowded sidewalk. She stopped at the corner, leaning over and searching for a yellow cab. "Taxi!" she yelled again.

A brightly colored vehicle pulled in front of her, and she opened the door. She could go home to her parents, or she could take a chance and go back to Olivia's. She took a deep breath and said, "Four-Eighty-Nine, One-Hundred and Seventh Street." Her parents were the lesser of two evils.

* * *

Elliot's phone call ended, just as the doorbell rang. He ran a hand down his face and padded over to the door, opening it without thought. "Oh," he said, surprised, "Hi."

"Stabler," the woman outside said. "Is your wife home?"

Elliot moved aside and asked, "Did she do something wrong?"

"No," the woman said. "Not at all. I just need to speak to her," she said, standing at attention.

Elliot eyed her for a moment, then looked at the couch where Olivia sat. "Honey," he said, "Jeffries is here to see you."

Olivia looked up, confused, and stood, walking over to Elliot. "Jeffries," she said, holding out her hand.

"I need to speak with you," Jeffries said, shaking her hand. "In private, if possible."

"I don't keep any secrets from my husband," Olivia said, folding her arms, suddenly uncomfortable. "I'm sure anything you have to tell me you can say in front of him."

Jefferies shook her head. "I can't, actually," she said, nodding toward the kitchen. "Can we?" she asked.

Olivia raised an eyebrow, glanced at Elliot, and then led Jefferies into the kitchen. "What's this about?" she asked, gesturing for her guest to sit.

Jeffries bit her lip, and looked across the table at Olivia. "I don't really know how to ask you this…but, uh, has your father-in-law…" she paused and leaned forward. "A long time ago, Joe Stabler was my C.O," she said.

"I'm sorry," Olivia said, joking.

"Yeah, me, too," Jeffries said with another sigh. "He was…he was tough. Strict. And a lot of us thought he was drunk half the time, but he always swore he was sober. Anyway, one night, during a routine training session, he…" She paused again and swallowed, closing her eyes. "He was closer than he should have been…he…he touched..." she swallowed her words and closed her eyes.

"Are you telling me…what exactly are you telling me?" Olivia asked, stunned.

Jefferies looked into her eyes and asked, "Has he ever come on to you? Touched you, at all, in any way?"

"What?" Olivia gasped. "No! God, no! He…he tried to be nice a couple of times, gave me a few hugs, but…where are you going with this?"

Jefferies tried again, hoping to get an answer. "What about Elliot? Has he ever been a little too rough? A little too violent? You know, has he ever acted out…"

"Rape fantasies?" Olivia yelled, appalled, standing up now. "If you knew me at all you wouldn't ask that. You wouldn't have to! God, no! He knows better than to even think about…what the hell is wrong with you?"

Jefferies was stunned by her anger, and she shook her head. "I…I didn't…"

"What the hell is going on in here?" Elliot asked, running into the kitchen. "I heard Liv yell 'rape' and she's…fuck, Jefferies, what did you do to her?" he asked, pulling a very shaken up Olivia into his arms.

"I'm only asking because it runs in the family!" Jefferies yelled, standing.

"What does?" Elliot asked, feeling Olivia pull out of his hold.

Jefferies looked Elliot in the eyes and said, "The children of rapists often become rapists themselves. You ever fantasize about that, huh? Making her scream, having complete control?"

"Are you out of your goddamned mind?" Elliot yelled back. "You don't even know my father so…"

"Joe Stabler is a rapist!" Jefferies yelled, crying.

"He's not my father!" Elliot yelled back, "But for twenty-some-odd-years, I thought he was, and I can guarantee you that he was violent and offensive but he would never…"

Jefferies looked at Olivia then, cutting off Elliot's words. "Be careful, you never know what kind of monster is laying dormant in him. He can't help who his father is, Olivia. It's genetic. It's…"

Olivia threw a hard punch, landing a blow to Jefferies right cheek. She flew back into the table, and when she righted herself, she lifted her hand to her aching jaw. "Bleeding," she mumbled. "You punched me and…"

"Real diamonds," Olivia interrupted, her left hand held up. "My mother was raped, you know that, you read my file didn't you?"

Jefferies, feeling guilty now, nodded. "I thought you'd understand, that's why…"

"You were trying to make me afraid of Elliot, by telling me that the children of…when you know I'm one of them, I…" Olivia paused, stepping forward. "I'm sorry I hit you, but I am not a monster. You know about my mother, and my past, and I'm fine." She pulled out a chair and looked Monique in the eyes. "Are you okay?" she asked, wincing at the cut on her cheek.

"Think I need stitches," Jefferies said, "But I deserved it. I was trying to push you, and I guess I did. But…Olivia, you have to know why I…"

"You're telling us that Joe Stabler raped you," Elliot interrupted, "Is that it? You wanted to find out if he did the same thing to Liv, or if I knew of anyone else he might have…" he ran a hand down his face and shook his head. "I don't. Why?"

Jefferies looked up at him. "No one believed me when it happened," she said with a shrug. "Getting you in my class…it was like a sign. Telling me that I had a chance to get justice. To get him." She looked up at Olivia and then toward Elliot. "Will you help me?" she asked, sniffling.

Elliot looked at Olivia, and he saw the look in her eyes. "I'll go make a phone call," he said. He walked into the living room, sighed, and picked up the phone, hoping it wasn't too soon to start asking Captain Cragen for favors.

**A/N: Alex runs into Olivia, but where? Is Jefferies lying? Dean finally comes face to face with Elliot, and when he sees Olivia, sparks fly. But are they good or bad? Fin's first day at the academy brings a surprise, too. Review here, or on Twitter: TMG212**


	58. Chapter 58

**A/N: A/N: Alex runs into Olivia, but where? Is Jeffries lying? Dean finally comes face to face with Elliot, and when he sees Olivia, sparks fly. But are they good or bad? Fin's first day at the academy brings a surprise, too.**

**DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns the characters. That's pretty much it. Everything else written before you is pure TStabler©**

"I'm on my way home now," Olivia said into her phone. "You did? Honey, that's great! No...it's...it's not short. Shoulders. I just couldn't take Dickie pulling on it like that. Now if I pull it back he won't be able to reach it." She hailed a cab at the corner, babbling to her husband. "Well at least now you know, right? You weren't living with a..." she paused as she grabbed the handle of the cab, just as someone else did. "Unfuckingbelievable."

"Olivia?" the woman holding the handle gasped.

She nodded. "Baby, I have to go," she said, snapping her phone shut. "What the hell are you doing here? And why are you trying to steal my taxi, Alex?"

Alex took her hand off of the handle and the cab pulled away, the driver having grown tired of waiting for them. "I moved back," she said.

Olivia blinked, she didn't know what to say. It was the most awkward she'd ever felt.

* * *

"You wanna tell me what this about?" Don Cragen asked, throwing a file down in front of a very confused looking Monique Jeffries.

She picked up the file, opened it, and looked up. "Where did you get this? These records were sealed!"

"I unsealed them," Cragen said. He leered at the officer and shook his head. "You don't know who did it, do you? You're blaming Sergeant Stabler because he was the only one standing in your way of getting your gold shield.

Jeffries gritted her teeth. "He did it," she said. "I didn't see his face, but I know it was him! He was always touching me. The other women in the academy, too."

"He was training you in had-to-hand combat," Cragen said with a nod. "He didn't think you were ready. He didn't recommend you for the upshift. You took it personally, and this is the only way you could get back at him."

"He raped me!" she yelled.

Cragen shook his head. "DNA didn't match," he said, flicking at the file. "You had to let it go when he moved onto Queens Homicide, while you were stuck working off you missing credits at the academy. Meeting Elliot was your way back to him."

"He did it!" Jeffries cried, "He had to have..."

"No," Cragen said, softly. "It wasn't him. You're looking for a man who doesn't exist, Monique. The case is cold, the evidence is too far..."

Jeffries shook her head and looked up. "Please," she whispered. "Try."

Cragen sighed. He looked at the distraught woman, then made a decision. "Okay."

* * *

A knock on Elliot's door got his attention away from the football game he was watching. "Honey?" he called. "Did you forget your key?" he asked, opening the door.

"No, sweetheart," the man on the other said, smirking. "You never gave me one."

"Dean," Elliot chuckled, holding out his hand. "How the hell are ya, man?"

Dean shook his hand and laughed, too. "Good, good. You?"

Elliot stepped aside, letting Dean walk into the house, and said, "Really good, actually. Kids, house, job, living the life of an actual grown up."

Dean nodded. "Yeah, you're a former Marine, future cop, father, husband. How old are you again?"

"Shut up," Elliot chuckled. "What are you doing here?"

Dean turned. "Elliot, my dad thinks you and...are you still married?"

"Happily," Elliot replied. "Your dad thinks Liv and I...what?"

"You and your wife are in some kind of trouble," Porter sighed. He scratched his head. "He wanted me to tell you someone at the academy is gonna try to..."

The door opened, then, interrupting their conversation as the men turned to look. "Baby," Elliot said, a grin on his face. "Dean, you remember Olivia."

Dean, stunned, nodded. "Yeah," he said. He was staring at her, his eyes wide. He hair, falling just to her shoulders, bounced as she walked. Her figure was incredible, he could tell, beneath her slim jeans and sweater. Her lips were just tinted red, her eyes were brown and gold, he thought. They were gold. "Hi," he said, quietly.

"Hi," she replied, sinking into Elliot's opened arms. He wrapped her up, kissed her nose, and she looked up at him. "How were the kids?" She looked around. "Where are the kids?"

He laughed, kissing her again. "They were rambunctious. They tired themselves out," He jerked his head toward their room.

She laughed. "You watching the game?" she asked, her attention turning to the TV.

"Of course," he scoffed. "Jets are winning."

"Nice," she said, nodding.

Porter blinked. "You like watching football?" he asked.

"Watching, playing," Elliot said, teasing her. "She's got a great arm. If this cop thing ever fails, she could go pro."

Olivia turned and slapped his shoulder. "Where's Brian?"

"Looking at apartments," Elliot said. "Finally." He walked into the kitchen. "Either of you want anything?"

"No, thanks, baby," Olivia said, sitting on her couch.

Porter watched her go, loving the way her body moved. He nodded dumbly as he said, "Yes."

He wanted her.

* * *

"Tutuola!" a voice yelled, from the other side of the field.

Fin turned, stopping his run. He squinted, trying to figure out who it was. He saw the figure running toward him, but he didn't know the guy. "Yeah?"

The man stopped running, handing him a letter. "I was told to give this to you." He nodded. "It's urgent."

Fin narrowed his eyes even more as he ripped the envelope open. "What the hell?" he questioned. "I've only been here for a day, I'm already in trouble?"

The man next to him chuckled. "No," he said. "You're gonna be causing the trouble. Come with me," he demanded.

Fin sighed and followed the man toward the general's office. The cryptic letter in his hands confused him. He wasn't ready for this.

"Hang on!" Trevor yelled, padding through his apartment, wrapped in a towel. He opened the door and was stunned. "Casey? What are you..."

Her lips were on his, her hands gripped at the towel, she kicked the door closed behind her. "Had to see you," she mumbled against his lips.

"You couldn't have waited?" he asked, laughing.

She murmured a negative sounding noise. "Had to tell you," she said. She pulled away from him and said, "I love you."

"Case, you didn't have to come all the way out here to...holy shit," he stopped speaking when she dropped her trench coat. Her nude body before him left him speechless.

"I froze my ass off getting here like this," she quipped. "You're kicking me out?"

He shook his head dumbly and pulled her close to him. "Stay," he whispered. He kissed her as she pulled hard on his towel, letting it fall.

She chuckled as he pulled her toward his bedroom, never getting the chance to tell him she was staying. For good.

"Did you talk to him?" Kathy asked, handing Joey a can of soda.

Joey nodded. "I was on the phone with him for a long time yesterday. We...well, I was invited over there for dinner. I think I'm gonna go," he said.

"Good," Kathy said, nodding. "You should go. Take the girls. I'm sure they'd love to play with their cousins."

"You should come," he told her. "I want you to come. He's my brother, he knows about us, you guys have to deal with each other eventually."

Kathy sighed. "It's not him I don't wanna deal with."

"What do you have against Olivia?" Joey asked her, folding his arms.

Kathy bit her lip. "Everything," she whispered, shutting her eyes. "I'm over him, really, but her. I will never forgive her."

Joey shook his head. "Yeah," he sighed. "Gotta forgive yourself first."

Kathy looked at him. She squinted for a moment. She sighed and said, "I'll get the girls' coats." She turned over her shoulder and said, "And mine."

**A/N: Uh-oh! Kathy and Olivia spar over dinner. Kathy yells at Elliot, Elliot yells at Joey, Fin has a secret, and Alex has a surprise! Review here, or on Twitter: TMG212**


	59. Chapter 59

**A/N: After a bout of insecurity and lack of inspiration, this chapter will conclude "Young and Beautiful" to make room for its sequel, "La Vita Bella" premiering with ch. 1 tomorrow! Enjoy. ****Kathy and Olivia spar over dinner. Kathy yells at Elliot, Elliot yells at Joey, Fin has a secret, and Alex has a surprise! Review here, or on Twitter: TMG212**

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and its characters belong to Dick Wolf. TStabler© just borrows them and gets them into compromising positions. ^..^**

"This is so awkward," Olivia whispered, brushing her shorter hair out of her eyes.

Elliot laughed. "Dinner with my brother, Kathy, Alex, Dean, and Brian? Or us hiding in the bathroom so we don't have to deal with it?"

"Both," she laughed. "God, this is…how did this happen?"

He sighed and shook his head. "I invited Joey, he brought his entire family, and Alex showed up with…"

"I didn't mean literally," she spat, shaking her head.

"Your hair bounces now," he said, running a hand through it. "I love it, baby, really."

She sighed and dropped her head to his shoulder. "I was afraid you'd hate it," she said.

"I'd love you, all of you, no matter what," he said, kissing her. "Are we…we should go back out there."

She nodded, taking a breath. "After you," she said, hopping off the counter. Elliot walked out and she followed close behind him. He pulled out her chair, then sat beside her. He cleared his throat and lifted the beer bottle by his plate to his lips.

"This chicken is amazing," Dean said, smiling. "You're a great cook, Olivia."

Olivia shook her head. "Thanks, but all I did was make the salad and heat up the pan. He's the chef." She took a sip of the water in her glass and said, "I'm not a very domestic woman."

Kathy scoffed. "I'm not surprised."

Elliot and Joey glared at her. "Not now, Kathy," Joey hissed at her. He jabbed his chicken with his fork for emphasis.

Kathy rolled her eyes. "Where are the kids?"

"In the living room," Olivia said. "I've got the twins in their playpen, and your girls are on the couch watching Fraggle Rock." She swallowed a bit of chicken and said, "I can see them, Kathy, they're fine."

"Yeah, that makes me feel better. The girl who learned all of her mothering skills from an alcoholic psychopath thinks my daughters are fine," Kathy griped, poking at her potato.

Elliot narrowed his eyes. "She's an amazing mother," he snapped. "She didn't learn anything from her mother!"

Kathy chuckled. "Good. I wouldn't want those two innocent kids in there to have to put up with that. Is that why she's not drinking? She afraid she's got the drunk genes from Mommy Dearest?"

"You really…" Olivia stopped, shaking her head. "I'm not like you, Kathy. I'm not going to fight with you, you can think what you want, and you can say what you want…"

"You can't argue because you know I'm right," Kathy interrupted. She pushed her wine glass toward Olivia. "Prove me wrong."

"She can't," Elliot said, gritting his teeth.

"Why not?" Kathy asked. "I always thought you'd end up with a girl who could drink you under the table, Elliot. Not some little princess who can't even have…"

"I'm pregnant," Olivia said, her eyes narrowing as she shoved the glass back to Kathy. "Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, ever hear of it?"

Kathy's face fell, and she looked at Elliot, fire in her eyes. "Are you kidding me?" she asked, shaking her head. "You knocked her up already? Christ, Elliot, don't you believe in contraception?"

"I'm Catholic!" he said, shocked. "And she's my wife! Why the hell would I…"

"Are you sure it's yours?" Kathy asked.

Elliot slammed his hand down, shaking the table. "She isn't you, Kathy! She loves me, that's it. Fully committed to just me! Unlike you, she's capable of only being with one guy at a time."

Kathy gasped. "How dare you…"

"How dare I?" Elliot questioned. "You're the one insulting my family in my own house." He looked at Joey. "Did she tell you where she was last night?"

"Oh, God," Kathy mumbled. "Elliot, don't. I'm sorry."

Elliot narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "She was with Fin, or…trying to be." He smirked. "Imagine my surprise when he called me from the academy telling me he ran into Kathy, and she wanted him to take her home with him."

Joey looked at Kathy, fuming. "Is he…"

"He's lying," Kathy interrupted. "I swear, he's lying! He's mad at me and he's…"

"You wanna call Fin?" Elliot said, shoving his hand into his pocket and pulling out his phone.

Joey shook his head, looked down at his plate, and said, "I know why she did it." He stuck his fork in his chicken again.

The silence was almost deafening, the clinging of metal against china, scraping and plopping of cups and dishes were the only sounds. Until Alex looked up. "Well, Olivia, maybe you and I could sign up for one of those aerobics classes, ya know? Expectant mothers doing power yoga, or low-impact kickboxing or something."

Olivia looked at Alex, questioning. "You would really take one of those with me?"

Alex nodded. "We can keep fit together, and maybe…our babies could form some kind of innate connection."

"Babies?" Brian asked, looking up. "You…wait, you're…"

Alex nodded. "I am," she said.

"Does Chester know?" Elliot asked, folding his arms and leaning back in his chair.

Alex shook her head. "He stayed out in California, I was gonna tell him when we got settled here, but…he didn't come with me."

Brian looked from her to Olivia. "Don't expect me to hang around when you're both hormonal and nuts."

That seemed to ease the tension, the group laughed, and Olivia sighed. A part of her wanted to go back to high school, when it wasn't so awkward being around these people. But a larger part of her wanted to fast forward, to a point in her life where these people wouldn't matter anymore.

She grabbed Elliot's hand, sipped her water, and prayed that they would eat fast and go home. She wanted to be alone with her husband and kids.

* * *

"Casey?" Trevor whispered, in the dark of his bedroom. "Are you…"

"I'm staying," she said. "I'm transferring, I'm moving, I'm staying."

Trevor sighed, rolled over to look at her, and said, "Good. I, uh, I may be able to get you a job at the firm I'm interning with."

"Really?" she asked, sitting up a bit.

He nodded. "Right now, they, uh, they have a lot going on. Defending a lot of guys, most of them accused sex offenders and thieves, but every once in a while we get something pretty big. Like today."

"What happened today?" she asked, curious, as she kissed him.

"A woman came in," he said, "Some Marine chick. She wants to sue the NYPD."

Casey narrowed her eyes. "What? The whole police department?"

"Just one unit," Trevor said. "She claims they purposely withheld evidence and let the statute of limitations run out on her case to protect one of their own. The guy she claims raped her is a cop, and she thinks…"

"Oh, God," Casey gasped, getting out of the bed. "I have to go," she told him. "I'll be back, I just…"

"Where are you going?" he asked, worried.

Casey looked at him as she threw on a pair of his pants, a tee shirt, her heels, and her trench coat. "I have to talk to Olivia."

**A/N: Tomorrow, the sequel. We catch up with our cast of characters, and we find out what happened after dinner. Who stayed together? Who moved out of the city? And who actually had their baby? Review here, or on Twitter: TMG212**


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